Andoni Iraola hasn’t even managed his first competitive match for Liverpool yet , that’s coming up Sunday against Newcastle , and the man is already telling it like it is: his squad is thin, especially on the wings. He dropped a bomb, stating outright, “we don’t have enough players specific to play in those positions.” The new gaffer is straight-up admitting a critical roster gap *before* the season really gets rolling.
The Winger Woes Are Real
Iraola is not holding back on his frustration with how the transfer window works. “As a manager, this is an easy one for me. I wanted the players for the first day on 13 July,” he said, talking about wanting a full squad with positions doubled up with top-level talent from the jump. You can feel the tension as he talks about these last two weeks, calling them “10 days that we have because there is a lot of uncertainty.” He’s gotta adapt, and you know he hates it. This isn’t just about general improvements, either. He’s crystal clear: the wing is where they’re hurting most. With superstars like Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konate all leaving the club over the summer, and Curtis Jones currently in Italy to finalize a £30m move to Inter Milan, the depth has taken a serious hit. Jones, a “very, very good player” per Iraola, clearly wanted out, and that still leaves a hole.
Chasing The Fix Before The Clock Runs Out
So, if they know they’re thin, what’s being done? Well, the Reds have been trying. They threw a £50m bid at Brighton for Yankuba Minteh, and it got rejected. Ouch. They’ve also been looking at Paris St-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye, and their “main target” is apparently PSG’s Bradley Barcola. Time is seriously running out here before the transfer window slams shut. Yeah, they’ve brought in some talent since Iraola took over from Arne Slot: Victor Munoz for £34.5m and Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona are big moves. Jeremy Jacquet, a French centre-half, also came in for £60m, though that deal was agreed back in January. But the manager still needs *more*. He told Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports, “We will definitely sign some players… 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.” The belief inside Anfield is that it’s gonna be a frantic finish to the window.
It’s an intense situation for Iraola to navigate, trying to improve a squad that already has “very good players” while dealing with crucial departures and a ticking transfer clock. He’s got his first competitive match against Newcastle this Sunday. The question isn’t only about winning that game; it’s what kind of squad he’ll have come September 1st. Will Liverpool land the specific level of player they need on the wings, or will this early season struggle expose a critical flaw they couldn’t fix in time? We’ll all be watching to see how this plays out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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