Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola, left, says new signing Bradley Barcola, inset, will play at Ipswich Town tonight (Image: PA Sport)
Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola, left, says new signing Bradley Barcola, inset, will play at Ipswich Town tonight (Image: PA Sport)
Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola insists that new £123m signing Bradley Barcola is ready to be unleashed at Ipswich Town tonight (8pm).
The Reds signed the 24-year-old winger from PSG, where he won the Champions' League twice, earlier this week.
And Iraola says the young star, who scored 13 goals and bagged seven assists for PSG last season, will be ready to play at Portman Road tonight.
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"We are very happy with Bradley," he enthused at yesterday's pre-match press conference. "It was our priority, let's say, to sign a very, very good player in that position.
"I think he has come also with the right mentality. I've liked from him that he wanted Liverpool a lot. He just wanted to come here and I think that's a good first sign.
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"Being the player that he is and the things that he has won recently, I think he has come also with the willingness to help us. I'm very happy with him.
"He trained well with us. If everything goes well [in] today's training also, he will definitely be available for tomorrow, yes."
Bradley Barcola can play anywhere across the front four, but mostly features as a left-winger - so could be up against Town skipper Dara O'Shea if he plays at RB again tonight
(Image: PA)
Asked if Barcola could start tonight, Iraola said: "It's a good question, it's a good question.
"I see him in a good place. He has trained with us in three trainings. It's true that he hasn't had minutes in pre-season but he has been training normal with the group. Then it's a decision we have to make.
"I think he's in a good place but we also have to consider that he hasn't had the minutes in the pre-season games."