Liverpool 2026-27 Season Preview - New Coach Whilst Two Key Men Depart

John Eastwood

Editor

Last updated: 37 minutes ago

John Eastwood 37 minutes ago

Share this article

Liverpool begins a major rebuild after finishing third and losing key players like Salah and Konate.
New manager Andoni Iraola aims to restore intensity & boost the defence with signings like Jacquet and Araújo.
Main goals: secure top-four finish, integrate new signings, and play high-octane attacking football.

New manager Andoni Iraola is set to impart a high-intensity style of play (Getty Images).

Last Season’s Summary

Liverpool endured a hugely disappointing 2025/26 campaign, finishing third in the Premier League after a season in which they struggled to replicate the standards of their title-winning campaign.
Last Season’s Summary
Liverpool Coaching Change
Key Transfers In
Key Transfers Out
Three Key Players
Main Areas for Improvement
Upcoming Liverpool Transfer Activity
Overall Season Expectations - Liverpool

The Reds had entered the season as defending champions but were unable to maintain the consistency that had made them so dominant the previous year. The tragic loss of Diogo Jota on the eve of the season took an emotional toll on the players.

Arne Slot's side struggled with long streaks of poor form, due to a combination of injuries and baffling tactics from the Dutch coach. The season ended without the silverware many had expected after their dominant Premier League campaign the year before.

Liverpool Coaching Change

Andoni Iraola arrives at Anfield with the responsibility of rebuilding Liverpool after a disappointing final season under Arne Slot. The Spaniard spent three seasons at Bournemouth and established them as one of the Premier League's most exciting sides, culminating in a sixth-place finish and European qualification in his final campaign.

Iraola's football is based around aggressive pressing, quick transitions and vertical attacking play, which could bring Liverpool closer to the intensity associated with the club under Jürgen Klopp.

The biggest challenge will be balancing that attacking approach with a defence that struggled badly last season. Iraola has also never managed in the Champions League, making European football another major test.

Key Transfers In

Liverpool have made several changes to the squad, with Jérémy Jacquet arriving from Rennes in a deal worth up to £60 million to strengthen the centre of defence. The 21-year-old was signed ahead of the new season and is expected to compete for a starting position.

Victor Muñoz has also joined from Osasuna for around £34.5 million and provides another option in the wide areas. The Spain international arrives after being part of the country's 2026 World Cup-winning squad.

Ronald Araújo has also arrived from Barcelona on a season-long loan, giving Iraola an experienced option in central defence. The Uruguay international has more than 200 appearances for Barcelona and could also give cover at right back.

Key Transfers Out

Liverpool have lost several hugely important players. Mohamed Salah ended his nine-year spell at Anfield after agreeing to leave at the end of last season, eventually joining Trabzonspor on a free transfer.

Andy Robertson has also departed after nine seasons, joining Tottenham on a free transfer, while Ibrahima Konaté completed a move to Real Madrid after failing to agree a new contract with Liverpool.

Those departures represent a significant loss of experience. Salah leaves after establishing himself as one of the greatest players in Liverpool's history, while Robertson and Konaté had been important members of the defensive unit.

Curtis Jones is also set to join Inter Milan after the clubs agreed a deal worth around £30 million, further reducing Liverpool's midfield depth.

Three Key Players

Florian Wirtz: he remains arguably Liverpool's most important creative player and will be expected to take another major step forward under Iraola. The German has the technical quality to become the attacking focal point of the team, but he needs greater consistency after an uneven first season in England.

Alexander Isak: The Swede will carry enormous responsibility in attack after arriving from Newcastle last season for a British-record fee. His movement, finishing and ability to link play make him an ideal focal point for Iraola, particularly with Hugo Ekitike out with a long-term injury.

Virgil van Dijk: The captain remains Liverpool's defensive leader despite being 35, and with Konaté gone, his experience will be vital in helping a younger defensive group settle. Whilst his level is not once in once was, an injury would be a disaster.

Main Areas for Improvement

Liverpool's biggest priority is defensive organisation after conceding too many goals during a poor 2025/26 campaign. The departure of Konaté and the continued injury concerns around several defenders make this particularly important, although Jacquet and Araújo provide Iraola with additional options.

The midfield also needs to become more reliable. Liverpool have quality through Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but the departure of Jones means there is less depth and another midfielder may be required before the deadline.

The attack is arguably the biggest area of uncertainty. Salah's departure removes Liverpool's most productive attacking player from the previous era, while Ekitike is unavailable after suffering a serious Achilles injury. Isak therefore carries enormous responsibility, with Wirtz, Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha also expected to contribute more.

Above all, Liverpool need to rediscover their intensity. Iraola's high-energy style should help, but turning that approach into consistent results will determine whether this rebuild succeeds.

Upcoming Liverpool Transfer Activity

Liverpool's transfer business is definitely not finished because Iraola still wants further attacking reinforcements before the window closes. The club are particularly focused on replacing some of the creativity and goals lost with Salah's departure.

Yankuba Minteh has emerged as a major target, with Liverpool having a £50 million bid rejected by Brighton on August 20th. The winger is currently injured, but Liverpool remain interested and could consider making another offer.

Bradley Barcola is another major target, although Paris Saint-Germain are demanding around £145 million for the winger. Liverpool are also considering younger alternatives, including Ibrahim Mbaye, as they look for another right-sided attacker.

The club may also need another midfielder following Jones' imminent move to Inter Milan. Liverpool have been warned that the squad is currently too thin to compete across four competitions, with Van Dijk himself calling for a group capable of challenging on all fronts.

Overall Season Expectations - Liverpool

Liverpool should be targeting a return to the Champions League places after finishing fifth last season. The club have undergone one of their biggest squad changes in years, making immediate expectations difficult to judge, but the quality available to Iraola remains high.

A top-four finish would represent a successful first season for the new manager, while a title challenge would be an extremely ambitious target given the scale of the rebuild. The Champions League also provides Iraola with a chance to establish himself on the European stage.

There are still major questions around replacing Salah's production, defensive depth, Ekitike's injury and whether the new signings can quickly adapt to Iraola's methods. Liverpool also have fewer experienced leaders following the departures of Salah, Robertson and Konaté.

Graduated from the University of Portsmouth in 2008 with a BA in English Literature before completing MA in Journalism. Began his career as a sports journalist in London before moving to the Middle East to work as a sports editor for national media companies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Favourite Sports: Tennis, Boxing, Golf.