Liverpool Faces Challenging Week as Iraola Debuts Against Newcastle
Liverpool head into the final stretch of the summer window with one eye on the fax machine and the other on St James’ Park, where Andoni Iraola will take charge of his first Premier League game for the club against Newcastle on Sunday.
It is a tough opening assignment. A hostile ground, a fired‑up home crowd and a familiar face on the opposing team sheet: Alexander Isak, back up against his former club. All while Liverpool scramble to reshape a squad that still looks unfinished.
Iraola arrives at Anfield under pressure and promise in equal measure. Arne Slot’s second season delivered Champions League football but fell short of the standards Liverpool now demand. The new man has been brought in to drag the club back into the title conversation, not just the top‑four pack.
To do that, he needs help. And fast.
Endrick turns Liverpool down to fight for Madrid future
One potential solution in attack has already slipped away. Real Madrid forward Endrick has rejected Liverpool’s interest, opting instead to battle for his place under Jose Mourinho at the Bernabeu.
The 20‑year‑old returns to Madrid on the back of an impressive loan spell at Lyon, where he produced eight goals and eight assists in 21 appearances. That output was supposed to strengthen his case to become a central figure for Los Blancos.
Then Yan Diomande walked through the door.
With Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe locked in as automatic starters, two of the three attacking berths are effectively ring‑fenced. Diomande, a £100million signing, is the obvious candidate to claim the remaining spot on the right.
Rodrygo is also in the mix. The winger is currently recovering from injury but remains part of Mourinho’s plans, adding another obstacle for Endrick to navigate.
Still, according to ESPN, the Brazilian believes he can force his way into that crowded forward line and has decided to stay and fight. No loan. No move to Liverpool. No short‑cut to minutes.
For Iraola, it is a blow with a very specific sting. Endrick’s versatility meant he could have offered cover for Isak through the middle and operated from the right, the position left vacant by Mohamed Salah’s abrupt departure earlier this summer. Liverpool are still searching for a true heir to a club legend.
The search has already hit another bump. A £50million bid for Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh has been knocked back, with Liverpool expected to return to the table with an improved offer. Time, and the market, are both tightening.
Iraola: “We will definitely sign some players”
If the mood around Liverpool feels edgy, Iraola is not hiding from the reality. He has already admitted his squad looks “thin” and, speaking on Friday, he made one thing clear: reinforcements are coming.
“We will definitely sign some players. Some deals you have to wait until the end,” he told Sky Sports. “But the end is the important picture, the one we will have on September 1, because it is true that we are still quite thin.”
The club has at least moved to plug one gap. Ronald Araujo has arrived on loan from Barcelona after Joe Gomez picked up an injury in pre-season, adding experience and presence at the back.
Even so, there are obvious weak spots. Right-back remains a concern with Conor Bradley battling fitness issues. Curtis Jones’ move to Inter Milan has further thinned the midfield options, leaving Liverpool exposed if injuries bite across a long campaign.
That has pushed a new midfielder onto the list of possible late-window priorities, alongside the glaring need on the right flank. Iraola knows he cannot go into the heart of the season with such little margin for error.
Internally, there is hope that some of the answers might already be in the building. Rio Ngumoha is expected to see more minutes on the right, while Victor Munoz can operate on that side despite preferring the opposite wing. Both offer promise. Neither, at this stage, carries Salah’s weight of certainty.
So Liverpool roll into Tyneside juggling two demanding fronts: the noise and intensity of a Premier League opener at Newcastle, and a transfer market that will not stop moving until the deadline slams shut on September 1.
By then, everyone will know if Iraola has the tools to turn expectation into a genuine title push – or if this season will be another exercise in chasing what might have been.
