Liverpool added four players to their immediate first-team squad during the summer transfer window - Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz, Ronald Araujo and Bradley Barcola
Andoni Iraola (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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Andoni Iraola has said he is happy with Liverpool's summer transfer business - but hinted he had wanted to sign more players ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
Bradley Barcola became the Reds' most high-profile signing of the window when he officially signed on Monday after moving from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal that could eventually cost £123million.
It followed the arrivals of £60m centre-back Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, £34.5m winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna and the loan capture of Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo.
The Reds also made an attempt to further bolster their right-wing options with failed offers for Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh, and also expressed an interest in Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr.
And Iraola has revealed there was a chance to bring in at least one more player only for Liverpool to opt not to pursue the transfer.
“I’m very happy with all the signings we’ve made," said the Reds head coach. "Three or four signings with Jeremy, I’m very happy with all the signings.
"I know the next question ‘do you want more signings in other positions?’ At the end the club has decided those signings we have done are the ones that improved our team and our position.
"There were other options we decided not to take, for different reasons: sometimes it is sporting reasons because they don’t improve what you have, sometimes it is economical reasons as it didn’t make sense in terms of the market to do those movements.
"But I’m happy now I know what we have, I have a lot of quality in the team and now it is the moment for us, for the players, for me to develop what we have."
Iraola also outlined when injured trio Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni and Federico Chiesa are expected to return to full training.
Gomez has been out with a muscle problem sustained in the opening pre-season friendly against Sunderland in Nashville in late July while Leoni hasn't featured since suffering ACL damage on his debut in the League Cup win over Southampton almost a year ago.
Chiesa, meanwhile, missed the first two games of the season with a back issue.
“Joe will probably start training with us next week and it has gone normally, the recovery, from a muscle injury, more or less we were expecting the time on this," said Iraola. "I hope we can have him before the break, let’s say.
“I think the next one probably should be Giovanni Leoni. I think the plan is also to start training during the break, with the group. I think even Fede should be around those dates.
"But probably Conor (Bradley), and especially Hugo (Ekitike), will go later, yes.”