Bradley and Ekitike out for months
Hugo Ekitike and Conor Bradley are months away. Andoni Iraola did not sugarcoat it on Wednesday: "Conor and Hugo especially are way off. We are talking about months and still a lot of time out" (3).
That leaves Jeremie Frimpong as the only fit senior right-back heading into the season. Giovanni Leoni is the closest of the injured group to returning, while Stefan Bajcetic and Wataru Endo are nearing partial training during the pre-season tour (3).
Dominik Szoboszlai is also among three players Iraola called "big, big injuries" that have taken months to recover from (3).
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A defender is coming
Iraola has hinted heavily that a new defender must arrive this window (1). No names confirmed, but the need is clear.
Separately, Illia Zabarnyi has been offered to Liverpool and Chelsea. Neither club has opened talks yet (7). The PSG centre-back worked under Xabi Alonso and is looking for a Premier League move.
Liverpool confident on £100m Barcola
Liverpool believe they are ahead of Arsenal in the race for Bradley Barcola. The PSG forward would cost around £100m (2) (5).
Nothing is done, but the confidence inside the club is real. Barcola is 23 and coming off a strong season in Paris.
Iraola: Mac Allister and Alisson stay
Iraola made it plain: Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson Becker are not for sale.
"I think Alexis has been one of the best players at the club the last few years and he had a very good World Cup. So it is normal other clubs might want our best players," Iraola said. "If possible I want to keep my good players" (4).
He pointed to Alisson's experience in a changing room that has lost some reference points, with senior figures like Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konaté also mentioned as key presences (4).
Bezos and Bhatia linked with Liverpool investment
A consortium led by the Bhatia family and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been linked with a potential takeover or investment in Liverpool (6). The Guardian's Andy Hunter reports the club is "primed for business."
Nothing imminent, but the story is gathering momentum.
First friendly: Sunderland on Saturday
Iraola takes charge of his first match on Saturday, a pre-season friendly against Sunderland (3) (4). With the injuries piling up, the lineup will be a patchwork. Still, it is the first real glimpse of what his Liverpool looks like.
Fan reactions
The mood is a mix of anticipation and angst. The Iraola tactical deep-dives are already appearing on the subreddit, with one fan breaking down the double pivot and No. 10 role in a 4-2-3-1 in detail. Others are feeling nostalgic: six years ago today Liverpool lifted the Premier League trophy, a reminder of what the club is chasing again.
Amara Nallo's loan move to HJK drew praise, with fans calling the change of environment "precisely what's needed" as the 19-year-old gets a shot at European football in the Conference League.
