Iraola’s Liverpool shake‑up: every in-and-out for 2026/27

Andoni Iraola has walked into Anfield with sleeves rolled up and a to-do list as long as the Kop. A fifth-place finish kept Champions League nights on the calendar, but after a trophyless season and a wildly expensive previous window that hasn’t fully clicked, Liverpool needed clarity and conviction in this one. So here it is: Jeremy Jacquet through the door for £60m, Ronald Araujo in on loan with an option, Victor Munoz signed to add spark, and, on the flip side, farewells to Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah. It’s the end of one era and the first brushstrokes of the next.

The squad still carries the fingerprints of both Jürgen Klopp and Arne Slot, and while injuries and inconsistency bit hard last term, Iraola will fancy moulding this group into something more streetwise and relentless. If big-money men Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz rediscover top gear, they could feel like fresh arrivals without the paperwork. For those who like to keep one eye on the odds while following the churn, you’ll find all the latest across the best betting sites.

New signings confirmed

Jeremy Jacquet (Rennes) – £60m
A powerhouse of a centre-half with the frame and front-foot mentality to grow into Virgil van Dijk’s heir. Liverpool beat serious competition to get him; now comes the integration and the test of Anfield expectations.

Victor Munoz (CA Osasuna) – £35m
Versatile, sharp and happy between the lines. Thirty-one starts, six goals and two assists in his first full senior campaign underline a player on the rise. He was in Spain’s World Cup-winning squad, even if he didn’t see the pitch; the education alone will have sharpened him.

Ifeanyi Ndukwe (Austria Wien) – £2.6m
One for the development pathway, but don’t sleep on it. Smart, modest-fee moves can punch above their weight if the profile and pathway are right.

Ronald Araujo (Barcelona) – Loan with option to buy
A statement stop-gap at centre-back. Araujo brings bite, recovery speed and big-game nous. He’s said he never hesitated over the switch; now he’s got the platform to show it fits.

Targets and ongoing noise

Liverpool have kicked the tyres across the pitch. The loudest chatter is on the flanks: RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande has been pursued, though Real Madrid are currently leading that dance. Bradley Barcola is viewed as a more attainable fit and talks have already taken place. In midfield, France’s World Cup standout Manu Kone is admired, but there’s a bunfight brewing with Chelsea and Manchester United. And keep an eye on Genk’s Konstantinos Karetsas – a left-field attacking option with upside.

Departures confirmed

Ibrahima Konate – Real Madrid (Free)
A gut-punch given how integral he was in the 2024/25 title run, starting 36 league games. His exit heaps responsibility on the new-look defence.

Andy Robertson – Tottenham (Free)
A bona fide modern Liverpool great. Engine, edge, end product – and a huge personality. Big boots for Iraola’s system to fill.

Mohamed Salah – Trabzonspor (Free)
An era-defining scorer waves goodbye. You don’t replace his numbers like-for-like; you rebuild the threat by committee.

Further exits: Carter Pinnington to West Brom (undisclosed), Luca Stephenson to Bolton (£700k). Loans for Armin Pecsi (TSV Hartberg), Kyle Kelly (Forest Green Rovers) and Amara Nallo (HJK). A cluster of academy releases too – the pathway is being reshaped with a harder edge.

The state of the squad

Centre-back depth has been the flashing red light; hence Jacquet’s fee and Araujo’s arrival. Expect Giovanni Leoni to get more minutes, with Joe Gomez’s versatility again priceless. Midfield still needs a carrier who can also snap into duels, which is why Kone’s name won’t go away. Up top, Liverpool need their heavy hitters to hum; if Isak and Wirtz catch fire, the attack instantly looks a tier meaner.

There’s also contract chess to consider for 2027, with decisions looming on Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Wataru Endo, Joe Gomez, Kostas Tsimikas, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Calvin Ramsay, Harvey Davies and Stefan Bajcetic. Alexis Mac Allister’s future is being chewed over after a flat league campaign, while Curtis Jones – admired by several clubs – could draw bids strong enough to test Liverpool’s resolve.

Window watch

The market shuts on 1 September, and the winter window will offer a second bite if needs must. For now, Iraola’s done sensible business without the fireworks – but the squad still looks a winger and a midfielder short of title-talk territory. The rebuild has started; the question is how quickly it can be welded into a side with Liverpool’s old swagger.