Andoni Iraola’s appointment as Liverpool head coach comes with a weighty mandate: reverse the nosedive of a side that went from champions to also-rans in the space of 12 months. Arne Slot, who delivered the Premier League title in his debut 2024/25 season, was dismissed after a calamitous 2025/26 campaign that saw Liverpool finish 24 points off the pace, closer to the relegation zone than to eventual winners Arsenal. The 20 defeats across all competitions matched a club low not seen since Graeme Souness’s bleak 1992/93 term, and a goal difference that shrank by 35 underlined the dual failures at both ends. Into this chaos steps Iraola, fresh from steering Bournemouth to a sixth-place finish and an 18-game unbeaten streak, but now facing a truncated summer with the World Cup final falling just 33 days before the new season kicks off.
The defensive collapse demands immediate attention. Liverpool conceded 53 league goals—their worst-ever return in a 38-game Premier League era—and 20 of those came from set-pieces (excluding penalties). That dead-ball tally was joint-worst in the division with, ironically, the Bournemouth side Iraola left behind, and second-highest across Europe’s top five leagues. Opponents repeatedly exploited a lack of organisation and physicality at corners and free-kicks, turning Anfield’s once-feared fortress into a venue where boos rang out as the campaign unravelled.
The departure of Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer strips the back line of a key pillar. The French international’s exit leaves Virgil van Dijk without his established centre-back partner, pushing two inexperienced newcomers into the spotlight. Jeremy Jacquet is first in line but is currently sidelined with a shoulder problem, delaying his integration. Meanwhile, Giovanni Leoni, a long-term ACL victim after his debut last September, faces a race to be fit for the season’s start. Assimilating these two into a Premier League-ready defensive unit while eradicating the set-piece vulnerability will be Iraola’s sternest early test. He can draw confidence from his Bournemouth experience, where he lost an entire back four and goalkeeper last summer yet still forged a top-half defence.
Alisson Becker’s situation adds further complexity. The Brazilian goalkeeper, now 33, is a target for Juventus, with Italian reports insisting a formal approach is imminent. Liverpool moved proactively in March to trigger a one-year extension, tying Alisson to Anfield until 2027, and club sources indicate they expect him to honour that commitment. However, the uncertainty could unsettle a defence already in transition. Iraola will need Alisson’s world-class shot-stopping to buy time while his outfield reshuffle beds in.
In midfield, Curtis Jones represents a delicate contract puzzle. The academy graduate, whose current deal expires in 12 months, is being tracked by Inter Milan after the Serie A giants failed to land him in January. With no extension signed, Liverpool face losing a homegrown talent for a cut-price fee or for nothing next summer. Iraola must decide whether to integrate Jones into his plans or sanction a sale to fund other areas, all while managing a player who may see his long-term future away from Merseyside.
The injury crisis extends beyond the defence. Forward Hugo Ekitike endured a season-ending Achilles rupture in March and is not expected back before the autumn. His absence robs Iraola of a versatile attacker who could have eased the creative burden.
Further complicating the attacking picture, the perennial question mark over Mohamed Salah’s longevity looms, with RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande already earmarked as a potential successor. Any move for the Bundesliga wide man would add yet another variable to an already chaotic preseason.
Despite the mountain of problems, Iraola’s résumé suggests he can cope. At Bournemouth he navigated a summer exodus and guided a newly assembled squad to the cusp of Champions League qualification. His tactical flexibility and calm demeanour earned plaudits, traits Liverpool’s hierarchy hope will resonate in the Anfield furnace. What awaits is a restoration project of breathtaking scale: fixing a leaky defence, integrating young defenders, fending off transfer predators, and reigniting a fanbase that turned toxic during the spring slide. With the clock ticking toward an August 22 opener, Iraola’s to-do list has no room for error.
Based on reporting from Sky Sports.