LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola on the bench before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola on the bench before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Andoni Iraola maintains that Liverpool are prioritising signings out wide but is open to further additions, saying: “If we can improve other areas, we will.”
With a deal agreed in principle for Bradley Barcola and the search ongoing for the right wing, Liverpool should tie up the attacking options by Tuesday’s deadline.
But they went into the final week of the transfer window with calls to strengthen elsewhere, too, amid concerns over those available in midfield and at right-back.
Liverpool could feasibly still strengthen in midfield, with Monaco’s Lamine Camara among those linked, and in his pre-Nottingham Forest press conference, Iraola hinted that it was possible.
“The word is ‘ideally’, ideally is the magic word,” he said when asked if they were other areas he would “ideally” sign for.
“In the end there are certain things that you can do, certain things that we don’t know if we can do.
“But it’s true that the priority has been to strengthen in the wide areas.
“Still we have four, five days, I’m sure if we can improve other areas, we will.
“But I don’t know how the market is going to finish. I cannot tell you, I have to be patient the same as you.
“I want to know, believe me it’s very uncomfortable for me. You are dealing with uncertainties all the time.
“But we have to wait four, five days, and then we will know what we have and make proper plans.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. Monaco won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. Monaco won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
With unsuccessful bids for Yankuba Minteh and enquiries for both Ismaila Sarr and Ibrahim Mbaye, Liverpool appear yet to make progress in their hunt for a right winger.
But questioned on his confidence in the strength in depth if, though unlikely, Barcola is the only new addition between now and September 2, Iraola pointed to the “overall picture.”
“It would depend on the rest of the positions, what we sign, who is leaving,” he continued.
“I think you have to look at the overall picture. It’s not just in this position or the other one.
Bradley Barcola, PSG (Image: UEFA)
Bradley Barcola, PSG (Image: UEFA)
“We knew from the beginning where our demands [were]. The first day I arrived here I told you a little bit, it’s the wingers, because we lost especially Mo Salah.
“And then tricky situations with the players we have with long-term injuries. We are probably a player down in some positions and those have been our main issues.
“But if we can improve in other areas also, we will.”
Football – Pre-Season – Liverpool FC v Wrexham AFC
Football – Pre-Season – Liverpool FC v Wrexham AFC
Football – FA Premier League – Newcastle United FC v Liverpool FC
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 22, 2026: Liverpool players stand for a moment of applause in memory of Kevin Keegan, who passed away in July after his battle with stage four cancer, before the FA Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. (L-R) Rio Ngumoha, Jeremie Frimpong, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexander Isak, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Jeremy Jacquet, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, Milos Kerkez. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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