Liverpool's Late Transfer Window Strategy Under Andoni Iraola

Liverpool’s late-window push under Andoni Iraola is gathering serious pace.

Within hours of striking a deal for Genk goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans in a £30million move, Liverpool have now reached an agreement to sign highly rated Saint-Etienne striker Djylian N'Guessan, according to Fabrizio Romano.

This is no scattergun spree. It’s a calculated attempt to reshape the squad on the fly.

N'Guessan deal agreed as Liverpool look to the future

N'Guessan, just 18, has reportedly been granted permission to undergo a medical as Liverpool race the clock before Tuesday’s deadline. The plan is not for the teenager to walk straight into Iraola’s first team. He is expected to link up with the Reds in the summer of 2027, a long-term project rather than an instant solution.

Saint-Etienne were already braced for his exit. With his contract due to expire next summer, French outlet Foot Mercato reported that the club had effectively “opened the door” to his departure, aware they risked losing him for nothing.

Liverpool have stepped through that door, adding him to a growing cluster of young prospects earmarked for Anfield’s next generation. The message from the recruitment department is clear: build for tomorrow while trying to stay competitive today.

Wide options still the priority

All this is happening while Liverpool chase the biggest piece of their attacking puzzle: a new left-winger to take on the mantle from Mohamed Salah.

Bradley Barcola has emerged as the top target. Talks were said to be progressing quickly last week, with an expectation that a deal could be wrapped up before the window shuts. The club have been working on that front for days, trying to secure a player they see as a long-term starter on the flank.

Ismaila Sarr has also entered the conversation as a secondary option, his name surfacing ahead of Saturday’s draw with Nottingham Forest. The search for width is not a side project; it’s the headline act of Liverpool’s window.

Iraola’s wider rebuild

The business for Brughmans and N'Guessan shows Iraola’s plans stretch well beyond the wings.

Earlier on Monday, reports confirmed Liverpool had agreed a £30m fee with Genk for Brughmans, a move that underlines how seriously the club are treating their goalkeeping department. It’s a significant outlay, and it arrived before news of the N'Guessan agreement broke.

Iraola has been open about his stance. Speaking about the final days of the window, he admitted the wide areas remain the priority but refused to rule out strengthening elsewhere if the right opportunities appeared.

“In the end there are certain things that you can do, certain things that we don’t know if we can do,” he said. “It’s true that the priority has been to strengthen in the wide areas. Still we have four, five days, I’m sure if we can improve other areas, we will, but I don’t know how the market is going to finish.

“I cannot tell you. I have to be patient, the same as you. I want to know, believe me. It’s very uncomfortable for me. You are dealing with uncertainties all the time.”

Those uncertainties are now crystallising into deals. A new goalkeeper agreed. A teenage striker lined up for 2027. Two winger targets actively pursued.

Liverpool’s window, quiet for so long, has finally caught fire. The question now is whether Iraola gets the wide player he craves to tie this late flurry together.