Iraola says Liverpool need a winger as transfer work continues
Andoni Iraola told ESPN Liverpool still need additions after key exits, while saying he wants Alexis Mac Allister to stay at Anfield.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Andoni Iraola has put a winger at the top of Liverpool’s shopping list, telling ESPN the club still have clear gaps to fill before the new season.
The Liverpool head coach said the club cannot pin its summer plans to one fixed number of signings while the transfer window remains open, but he identified wide attacking cover as a definite need.
According to ESPN, Liverpool have already brought in defender Jérémy Jacquet and forward Víctor Muñoz. Iraola’s squad has also been reshaped by the departures of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konaté.
Iraola told ESPN that Liverpool must stay open to opportunities that can strengthen the group. He said some needs are plain to see, naming a winger as an area the club “definitely” has to address.
Beyond that, Iraola said Liverpool’s decisions will depend on what is available, the price of potential targets and how the coaching staff judge the players already in the squad.
He also pointed to what he described as awkward areas of the squad where injured players are still trusted by the club, while acknowledging the situation is not ideal.
The comments come with Liverpool trying to balance new arrivals against the loss of three high-profile names. Salah’s exit removes one of the club’s most productive attackers, Robertson’s departure leaves a long-serving full-back slot to solve, and Konaté’s move takes another senior defender out of the group, according to ESPN.
Mac Allister future addressed
Iraola also spoke to ESPN about Alexis Mac Allister, whose future has been the subject of transfer speculation.
Mac Allister is due back for preseason later in the summer after Argentina reached the World Cup final, ESPN reported. The 27-year-old midfielder has two years remaining on his Liverpool contract and has been linked with a move to Spain.
Iraola made clear he wants Mac Allister to remain at Anfield. He told ESPN that the midfielder was among Liverpool’s top performers last season and also had a strong World Cup.
The Liverpool boss said interest from other clubs is a normal part of the market when a team has strong players. His own priority, he added, is keeping those players while adding more quality to the squad.
Iraola said he is more focused on bringing in new players than on losing the ones already at the club, according to ESPN.
The message is tidy enough: Liverpool have already moved, but Iraola wants more. A winger is the headline need, other positions remain under review, and Mac Allister is firmly in the manager’s plans as preseason approaches.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.