Andoni Iraola has urged the top flight not to dismiss Liverpool’s chances as a fresh chapter for the club commences with the 26/27 season beginning at St James’ Park on Sunday.
The Anfield head coach, speaking at his inaugural Premier League media briefing of the term, is also certain the club will strengthen an already strong squad before the September 1 transfer window shuts.
Liverpool begin their campaign this weekend with Iraola only weeks into a two-year contract he secured after replacing Arne Slot. He takes charge during a summer in which owners Fenway Sports Group sanctioned the sale of 38 percent of the club to Amit Bhatia’s 1892 Holdings group, which includes Jeff Bezos, the third wealthiest person globally, and billionaire Eduardo Saverin, who co-founded Facebook.
FSG’s football chief executive Michael Edwards departed this summer while sporting director Richard Hughes is poised to move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal once the transfer window concludes next month.
On the field, the Merseyside club have seen Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate depart following last season’s conclusion, while Curtis Jones completed a £30million switch to Inter last evening.
The extent of upheaval throughout different layers of the club has left Liverpool entering the new term with few anticipating them as realistic title contenders.
However, Iraola maintains his squad possesses top quality and is convinced his players can respond to any critics questioning their capabilities for the upcoming year.
The 44-year-old acknowledged that he can sense some underestimation from the outside, attributing this to the nature of questions posed to him. He emphasised the need to appreciate the quality players at the club’s disposal.
He noted that sometimes players remain at a club for three or four seasons without full recognition of their talent, and he understands this situation. He added that the transfer market remains open with more time available to sign players.
Iraola expressed confidence in the quality of his squad, highlighting that he may have an advantage having been in his role for some time, allowing him to place great importance on the players already at his disposal.
Regarding pre-season preparations, he stated that the training and performances have validated his expectations for most players.
He addressed the long-term injury situation, acknowledging that negativity partly stems from the challenging circumstances with significant surgeries required for Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, and Wataru Endo, all of whom he described as excellent players. He noted that their return to fitness would significantly strengthen the squad and expressed hope they could navigate this period until recovery.
Iraola expressed his belief that despite not being fully prepared, the team can begin the season well and reach a level of high competitiveness from the start. He acknowledged the need for improvement while noting that even winning the first match would require continued development.
He addressed the transition period required at his previous club Bournemouth to achieve consistency, expressing hope that Liverpool’s adaptation would require less time. Even without being fully prepared, he remains confident in the team’s ability to be competitive and secure positive results.