Andoni Iraola has warned the Premier League not to underestimate his Liverpool side this coming season
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 21: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Andoni Iraola head coach of Liverpool during a press conference at AXA Training Centre on August 21, 2026 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola, speaking at his first Premier League press conference of the season, is confident about the possibilities of his Liverpool team
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Andoni Iraola has warned the Premier League not to underestimate Liverpool as a new era for the club begins when the 26/27 campaign kicks off at Newcastle United on Sunday.
And the Reds boss also insists the club will add to what he feels is an already impressive collection of players before the September 1 transfer deadline.
Liverpool start their season this weekend with Iraola just a couple of months into a two-year deal he signed to succeed Arne Slot. And he arrives during a pre-season period that has seen owners Fenway Sports Group agree to sell 38% of the club to Amit Bhatia's 1892 Holdings consortium that contains the world's third richest man, Jeff Bezos, and Facebook co-founder, the billionaire Eduardo Saverin.
FSG's CEO of football, Michael Edwards, stepped down earlier this summer and sporting director Richard Hughes is expected to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal when the transfer window closes next month.
On the pitch, the Reds have lost Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate from the end of last season and Curtis Jones last night joined Inter in a £30m deal.
That level of change at various levels of the club has left Liverpool heading into the campaign with few predicting them as genuine challengers for the Premier League title.
Iraola, though, says his squad is elite and believes his players can pushback against anyone doubting their ability for the year ahead.
"Yes, I can feel a little bit [that people underestimate us]," the 44-year-old said. "Because of the questions you ask me. We have to value the good players we have.
"Sometimes the players are here for three or four seasons and we are not aware how good some of our players are. I know this is the situation. The market is not closed, still we have more time to add players.
"Probably we have the advantage that I am not new and I value a lot of the players I have here. I can tell you that I am very confident in terms of the quality of the players I have.
"[Pre-season] has confirmed what I expected from most of the players. You enjoy being part of the training and seeing them perform well.
"Probably, a little bit of this negativity is about the fact we have a tricky situation with long-term injuries. We have four very good players who had big surgeries (Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endo), that are very good players.
"If they are available it puts you and your squad in a much better place. We have to go through this period until they are fully fit. We knew it from the beginning and I hope we can deal with this time."
Iraola added: "I want to think we are in a place where although we are not 100% but we can still start well. I think we are at a level where we can be very competitive from the beginning.
"Definitely we have to improve. But, even if we win the first game, we will need to improve.
"You are right that it took some time in Bournemouth to get everything clicking but I hope it takes less time. Even if not 100%, we can be competitive and get results before."