Iraola lays down his marker
Andoni Iraola faced the media for the first time as Liverpool head coach on Monday and did not duck the pressure. "I need to prove I belong here," he said (11). He also wants Curtis Jones to stay long-term: "I rate Curtis very highly. For me he is a great player. It's very important he's Scouse, that he's from here" (1). The press ate it up. Lewis Steele called the session "note perfect" (6).
Wirtz sets his floor
Florian Wirtz has put a number on it. The £116m midfielder has set himself a "bare minimum" goals and assists target for his second season at Anfield (2). The German's debut campaign was steady rather than spectacular, and he clearly knows the chatter.
Alonso: 'It's about timings'
Xabi Alonso spoke on Monday about why he ended up at Chelsea instead of Liverpool. "It's about timings," he said, more than once (3)(9). No approach came when he was available. The door never opened. He took the Chelsea job and that is that.
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Alisson and Saudi: the rumour won't die
Saudi clubs remain interested in Alisson Becker. The goalkeeper could still leave this summer (8). No bid is on the table yet, but the noise is persistent.
Slot to the Netherlands, with Liverpool's help
Arne Slot is a candidate for the Netherlands national team job and Liverpool would be willing to help finance the move by supplementing his salary (4)(13)(14). It is an unusual arrangement, but the club appears ready to facilitate his return to management.
Kone and Schjelderup on the radar
Liverpool are monitoring Manu Kone after Roma rejected an Atletico Madrid offer for the midfielder (7). Benfica's Andreas Schjelderup is another name on the list, though the asking price has climbed to £43m (10). Two names to track as the window unfolds.
Keating joins Liverpool Women
Liverpool Women have signed goalkeeper Khiara Keating on a free transfer after her Manchester City exit (5)(12). "I think everyone knows Liverpool worldwide. It's such a big club and I think the women's team is striving for greatness," she said (12).
Fan reactions
The mood around Iraola is buzzing. Fans are rallying around his demand that the team "suffocate" opponents and the early embrace of Curtis Jones has gone down well over on r/LiverpoolFC. The Alonso quotes are being taken in stride: most supporters accept the timing really was off. Check out the Iraola press conference thread.
