Liverpool's Gamble on Iraola: A Risky Reset for the Giants
Liverpool strode into last season as back-to-back Premier League champions, chasing a third title in four years and the sense of inevitability that comes with a dynasty. They ended it 25 points behind Arsenal, miles off the pace, and with Arne Slot out of a job.
The collapse was not subtle. Seventeen wins from 38 league games, despite a lavish summer spend, left a club used to setting the standard clinging to Champions League qualification rather than dictating the title race. The aura went. So did the manager.
Now comes the risk.
A bold appointment, and a brutal clear-out
Liverpool have turned to Andoni Iraola, a coach admired for his high-energy, aggressive style but untested at the helm of a true European superpower. His work at Bournemouth earned respect; this is a different universe.
The squad he inherits has already been jolted. The summer business has been decisive, sometimes ruthless.
Arrivals 2026:
- Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes for £60m
- Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5m
- Samuel Martinez from Atletico Nacional, undisclosed fee
- Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona
Departures 2026:
- Andy Robertson to Tottenham Hotspur on a free
- Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid on a free
- Mohamed Salah released
- Rhys Williams released
- Carter Pinnington to West Bromwich Albion, undisclosed
- Kareem Ahmed, Emmanuel Airoboma, James Balagizi, DJ Bernard, Oakley Cannonier, Josh Davidson, Terence Miles, Jacob Poytress all released
- Luca Stephenson to Bolton Wanderers, undisclosed
- Armin Pecsi to TSV Hartberg on loan
- Amara Nallo to HJK Helsinki on loan
Mohamed Salah’s departure, after an unwanted saga that hovered over last season, feels especially symbolic. One of the defining players of Liverpool’s modern era leaves not for a huge fee or a grand farewell, but simply released. The club needed a clean break. It got one.
Robertson and Konate walking away for nothing underlines the sense of mismanagement that has crept in. Talent has drained out; value has too.
Iraola’s challenge: change the habits, change the team
Iraola arrives with a clear idea of how he wants football to look. High pressing. Relentless running. Aggression without the ball. For a squad shaped by other philosophies, that is a shock to the system.
He knows it.
“We need every player, every time, every minute, every action – and that's the commitment,” he said. “I'm very happy with the attitude of the players.
“They are training really well. I am asking them to do things that are a little bit different – especially without the ball – and I think they are trying to get it.
“Obviously, we are still not perfect. We have things to improve, but I'm very happy with their attitude and their willingness to be on the same page. We will get there.”
The words are bullish. The reality will be brutal. Turning a squad that has grown used to one rhythm into a side that thrives on Iraola’s intensity will take time, and the Premier League rarely offers much of that.
Pre-season has reflected the transition: flashes of the new idea, stretches of inconsistency. A 2-0 friendly win over Como brought a clean sheet and a small measure of calm, but friendlies rarely tell the full story.
Van Dijk at the crossroads
At the heart of this rebuild sits an awkward truth: Virgil van Dijk is not the force he once was.
The Dutch defender, now 35, has seen his level dip over the past couple of seasons. Liverpool have still backed him heavily, committing significant resources to keep him as a central figure. Loyalty, leadership, legacy – all understandable reasons. But the league table does not care about sentiment.
Iraola must now design a system that protects Van Dijk’s limitations while still allowing the team to play on the front foot. That is a narrow path. Too much space behind him and Liverpool are exposed. Too much protection and the press loses its bite.
Against Como, Van Dijk helped secure that clean sheet. There are still moments when his reading of the game and presence steady those around him. He is not finished. Yet expecting him to anchor a title-winning defence over 38 games feels optimistic at best.
If his minutes stay high and his form stays where it has been, Liverpool’s ceiling may drop with him.
Quality questions and a harsh reality
The new signings bring intrigue. Jacquet and Munoz arrive at serious cost and with clear expectation. Martinez is a longer-term project. Araujo, on loan from Barcelona, offers pedigree and versatility.
It still feels light.
The spine that once terrified opponents has thinned out. The depth that sustained Liverpool through brutal fixture lists looks fragile. Iraola’s style demands physical and mental intensity from every player, every week. Any run of injuries, any dip in energy, and the structure starts to creak.
That is why, even with Champions League football secured, the mood around the club is cautious rather than euphoric. The gap to Arsenal last season was not a quirk; it was a reflection of where Liverpool now stand in the hierarchy.
A top-four finish is within reach if key players stay fit and Iraola’s ideas bed in quickly. The title? That feels distant.
Liverpool have chosen a bold path, betting on a coach with a clear identity but no big-club track record, and on veterans whose best years are behind them. It might spark a new cycle. It might expose how far they have drifted.
The question hanging over Anfield is simple: is this a reset, or the start of another underwhelming year?
