Liverpool's Rebuild Under Andoni Iraola: Seven Signings Needed
Liverpool’s new era under Andoni Iraola is barely a week old, but the scale of the rebuild being mapped out at Anfield is already stark.
According to Football Insider, the club have been tipped to “complete seven new signings” this summer, with insiders warning that the Spaniard is walking into “major issues” that must be addressed before next season kicks off.
Iraola inherits a fraying core
Liverpool confirmed Iraola’s appointment last week, handing the former Bournemouth head coach a two-year deal to succeed Arne Slot. He arrives after what has been described as a poor defence of their 20th Premier League title, and with a dressing room in flux.
Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson have already gone, and more departures are on the table. The spine that dragged Liverpool to domestic and European honours is being stripped back, leaving Iraola to reimagine the side almost from back to front.
One source quoted by Football Insider painted a blunt picture of the task ahead.
“Iraola is going to face some major issues immediately,” they said. “We were expecting his arrival to be announced, so he will already have assessed his squad, and he will know there are problems there.
“I would say there are probably six or seven positions with players already in need of replacing.”
Alisson uncertainty adds to transfer pressure
The upheaval may not stop with Salah and Robertson. Football Insider report that Alisson Becker “could be the next big name to go” in what is rapidly becoming a defining summer for the club’s hierarchy.
Liverpool chiefs have already blocked a move to Juventus for the Brazilian, but Alisson is understood to be due for talks with the Anfield decision-makers over his future. Lose him as well, and the rebuild turns from demanding to extreme.
The same source ran through the concerns, line by line.
“Look through the team one by one: Alisson could be leaving, we know Robertson and Konate are going, Van Dijk is 34 and ageing now, and they need a right-back.
“Further up the pitch, Salah has gone, and Ekitike is out until next year with this injury, so there’s another two players needing to be replaced.
“Already, that’s multiple key positions that need dealing with, and the manager will know that better than anybody, he will be prepared.”
Seven signings on the agenda
Liverpool’s recruitment plan reflects that sense of urgency. The club are expected to move for at least one winger, with the feeling inside the game that two wide forwards may actually be required to compensate for Salah’s exit and the lack of depth.
There is also a push to upgrade at right-back, centre-back and central midfield. As previously reported, Liverpool are exploring a swap deal involving an underperforming player in an attempt to land RB Leipzig attacker Yan Diomande, who has been identified as a leading candidate to help replace Salah’s output from the flank.
That alone will not be enough. The injuries, the age profile of key defenders, and the possible loss of Alisson all point towards a window that has to deliver in volume as well as quality.
“It’s now about whether he will get that backing, and I expect he will, to make the changes that need to be made,” the Football Insider source added. “Ultimately, the goal for Iraola at Liverpool is going to be to make them successful again, but to do that, he’s going to need a lot of support.”
The message is clear. Iraola has his philosophy and a two-year contract. What he needs now is a squad to match it — and a board willing to sign off on one of the boldest overhauls Anfield has seen in years.
