Iraola says Liverpool lack wingers ahead of Newcastle opener
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola said the squad do not have enough wingers for the start of the season, ahead of his first competitive match in charge against Newcastle on Sunday. He expressed confidence the club will seek solutions before the transfer window closes.
Iraola outlined the club's transfer activity and targets, revealing Liverpool had a £50m bid for Brighton's Yankuba Minteh rejected earlier in the week and have explored a move for Paris St-Germain's Ibrahim Mbaye. He confirmed PSG's Bradley Barcola remains the club's main target in wide areas and recalled his preference to have the squad settled earlier, saying: "As a manager, this is an easy one. I wanted the players for the first day on 13 July - everyone here and all the positions doubled with top-level players."
On managing the squad amid transfer uncertainty, Iraola said the team must adapt to an open market and the timing of competitions, adding: "But you understand how the competition works, that (the) market is open and you start the competition. We have to adapt as coaches to this situation. "I hate these two weeks or these 10 days that we have because there is a lot of uncertainty – but not in Liverpool, everywhere. But we have to adapt." He also set out his view on recruitment criteria, saying: "You are asking me what we need - there are certain situations that for me are clear – especially now on the wing because we don't have enough players specific to play in those positions. "And then in other positions, I think we have to be open-minded in the market to see situations that honestly can improve our team. "It's not about signing because we need a player here. No, it's about improving the squad. And we have very good players already here, so to improve our very good players, you need like a specific level of player, yes."
Since replacing Arne Slot as Liverpool head coach, Iraola has overseen incoming transfers including Victor Munoz for £34.5m and Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona, while Jeremy Jacquet's £60m move from Rennes had been agreed in January. Those additions sit alongside the club's ongoing work to bolster wide attacking options.
Liverpool also recorded several summer departures: Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate left the club, and Curtis Jones is in Italy to complete a £30m move to Inter Milan. On Jones' situation Iraola said: "With Curtis, you know. I think it's still not official but there is an ongoing situation. I understood with Curtis. I talked to him. I think in the first or second training session we talked. "I value him a lot as a player. He loved this club – it was very clear since the beginning for me – but I understood that probably the outcome was going to be what it has been at the end. "I've never hid it - for me Curtis is a very good player. A very, very good player, but I understood straight away when he talked to me about his situation. It was a situation that could happen and it looks like it is going to happen."
In a separate interview with Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports, Iraola said the club will add players before the window shuts: "We will definitely sign some players. Some deals you have to wait until the end. But the end is the important picture, the one we will have on September 1. Because it is true that we are still quite thin." Internally, Liverpool expect an active conclusion to the transfer window.
Iraola's first competitive match in charge comes against Newcastle on Sunday, and he has identified the squad profile he wants finalised by the end of the transfer window, referencing "the one we will have on September 1" as the decisive picture for Liverpool's squad.
