Inside Liverpools…

During a coffee meeting at Liverpool’s luxurious pre-season hotel in downtown Chicago, new head coach Andoni Iraola discussed the key challenges he faces as he establishes himself at Anfield. “You must enhance the team,” he stated. “Finding optimal positions for each player and the right combinations is critical, and time is running out for us to achieve this.”

Iraola, at 44 years old, addressed a group of traveling journalists, including members from ESPN, on the opening day of the Reds’ pre-season tour across the United States. In the past two weeks, he has worked to address these objectives by evaluating his squad during friendly matches in Nashville, New York, and Chicago. With less than a month remaining until his Liverpool career officially begins against Newcastle United in the Premier League, it is evident that time is against him.

The Reds’ U.S. tour was revealing, showcasing both positive and negative aspects.

Sidelined by the absence of several experienced players, some young talents—like midfielder Trey Nyoni and central defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe—took advantage of their chances to impress. Iraola implemented his intense training regimen, aiming to get the squad match-ready for the upcoming season.

– Premier League kits: All 2026-27 jerseys ranked
– Tickets, please! Liverpool’s new away kit
– Tighe: Understanding each top team’s transfer strategy

However, the last couple of weeks have highlighted Liverpool’s urgent need for reinforcements and the scale of the challenges ahead for Iraola and his team. With each day that passes, the Reds, as Iraola noted, are losing time to assert themselves as legitimate contenders to regain the Premier League title that they relinquished too easily to Arsenal last season.

A crucial few weeks lie ahead. Here’s what ESPN learned from the team’s time spent in the United States.

Exploring Chicago: Shopping, basketball, and high-intensity training

As Liverpool’s pre-season tour brought them to Nashville, New York, and Chicago, the team made the latter their base of operations.

Residing at the opulent Park Hyatt Hotel, fans gathered outside daily to catch a glimpse of their favorite players. During one instance, a young supporter sporting a Liverpool jersey had a memorable encounter when striker Hugo Ekitike, recovering from an Achilles injury, paused to shake hands and snap a photo with him in the hotel lobby.

Despite the club’s international appeal, players managed to explore the city with relative anonymity, often spotted perusing high-end boutiques in the Gold Coast district or strolling along Oak Street Beach. Some members of the squad even visited the Chicago Bulls’ home court, retracing the footsteps of the legendary Michael Jordan while trying their luck at shooting hoops.

Each matchday mirrored the structure of a Champions League away trip, with the team flying into the host city the night before and returning directly to Chicago after the game. Most of Liverpool’s training sessions took place at the Endeavour Health Performance Centre, home of Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire.

Iraola mixed single and double training sessions to elevate the players’ fitness levels and took a hands-on coaching approach, emphasizing detailed instruction for every player, regardless of their status on the team. During one open training session, fans witnessed sharp shooting from Chicago Fire’s new signing Robert Lewandowski before Liverpool players engaged in passing drills and competed in a nine-a-side match.

Earlier in the tour, Iraola introduced his squad to a challenging game called “Consequences,” involving players running between the two penalty areas as a penalty for losing.

“It’s all about the intensity,” defender Milos Kerkez explained when asked about the appeal of Iraola’s coaching style. “He’s unafraid to encourage one-on-one battles all over the pitch, to press high, and to maintain an offensive mindset. If you notice how we look after training—lying down exhausted—you can see what he’s preparing us for. We certainly need to be in shape for his style, but we will adapt.”

According to sources, Kerkez—who spent two seasons under Iraola at AFC Bournemouth before joining Liverpool last summer—has stepped up and taken on substantial responsibility during training, as has his Hungary teammate Dominik Szoboszlai, whose leadership has positioned him as a prime candidate to succeed Andy Robertson (who transferred to Tottenham) as vice-captain.

With some key players missing, Szoboszlai rapidly became a fan favorite in the U.S. Following a new five-year contract signed last month, he seems ready to capitalize on his promising individual performance from the previous season.

Injuries reveal defensive weaknesses

Iraola faced his first major obstacle in Nashville when defender Joe Gomez sustained a muscle injury just eight minutes into Liverpool’s opening pre-season match against Sunderland at Geodis Park.

With captain Virgil van Dijk enjoying an extended vacation, Gomez was one of the only two fit senior center-backs available for the trip, alongside new signing Jérémy Jacquet—who joined the club for £60 million ($79.5 million) from Rennes. After missing the latter part of last season due to a shoulder injury, Jacquet was expected to play during the U.S. tour but ultimately sat out all three matches after feeling discomfort in training.

Giovanni Leoni, who transferred from Parma last summer, was also unavailable as he continued recovery from an ACL injury. With limited first-team players available, the burden fell on young defenders Ndukwe, Mor Talla Ndiaye, and Luke Chambers to fill in central defense.

All three performed admirably, particularly Ndukwe, who is set to go on loan this season after failing to secure the appropriate work permit to play at Anfield immediately. However, with Ibrahima Konaté having joined Real Madrid on a free transfer and Gomez expected to be out for around a month, Liverpool’s requirement for experienced defenders is glaring.

The need for reinforcements is similarly evident at right-back, a position that proved problematic under Arne Slot during the last campaign.

Conor Bradley is seen as the future successor to Trent Alexander-Arnold (currently at Real Madrid), but Iraola confirmed that the 23-year-old is still “months” away from a comeback after suffering a serious knee injury in January. Jeremie Frimpong, who has yet to make an impact at Liverpool following his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, performed well in the Reds’ concluding game of the tour against Leeds United before being substituted for precautionary reasons in the second half. Despite a series of muscle injuries last season, the Netherlands international still has much to prove.

While there were positives from all three matches—a 4-2 triumph over Sunderland, a 1-0 win against Wrexham, and a 4-2 loss to Leeds—significant investment is required to rectify Liverpool’s apparent defensive issues.

Intensifying pursuit of Barcola amid a summer of transition

In addition to bolstering the defense, Liverpool could also use more attacking options. This summer has largely revolved around the club’s efforts to acquire Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, with sources indicating that Liverpool was preparing to make their first formal bid last week.

With PSG reportedly valuing his transfer at €150 million, Liverpool is aiming to negotiate a deal closer to €115 million. Barcola, keen on playing time, is interested in moving to Anfield. If successful, Barcola would join Liverpool’s roster as their second forward acquisition of the summer, following the €40 million signing of Osasuna’s Víctor Muñoz, who will join the team after winning the World Cup with Spain last month.

Nonetheless, with Ekitike expected to be sidelined until at least early 2027 due to his Achilles injury from April and longtime star Mohamed Salah having left on a free transfer, Iraola will require additional offensive strategies. Some concerns persist regarding the lack of a specialist right winger, and it was notable that Iraola chose to deploy the promising Rio Ngumoha in that position during the Reds’ 1-0 win over Wrexham in New York.

“In any position—right wing, left wing—I strive to do my best, especially with the ball, trying to outmaneuver my opponent,” Ngumoha stated after the match. “Today certainly felt a bit rusty, but I am committed to improving through training and matches. Being adaptable is a vital skill I need to develop.”

Of course, Liverpool’s attacking reconstruction will also depend on player departures, with uncertainties surrounding the futures of Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott. Both endured challenging seasons in 2025-26—Elliott barely played during his “mentally taxing” loan spell at Aston Villa—and both expressed the possibility of a fresh start under Iraola during the tour.

Liverpool also hopes to maximize the potentials of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz this season, with the latter showcasing his talents with a well-executed goal against Leeds on Sunday. They arrived in the U.S. during the second week of the tour, along with midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, and will likely see more action in upcoming friendlies against Monaco and Como at Anfield.

Additionally, changes behind the scenes have been notable over recent weeks.

Last month, Michael Edwards vacated his position as chief executive of football for Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG). Sporting director Richard Hughes has also been linked to a potential move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. Hughes was seen accompanying the squad in New York last week, while FSG President Mike Gordon—increasingly involved in Liverpool’s operational aspect following Edwards’ exit—also attended the defeat to Leeds in Chicago.

During the tour, FSG disclosed that a consortium led by British-Indian entrepreneur Amit Bhatia had expressed interest in acquiring a minority stake in the club. Although no agreement has been reached to date, the news has reaffirmed the sentiment that this is a summer of considerable transformation at Anfield on multiple fronts.

Emerging talent in the midst of challenges

Liverpool did not have a flawless experience during their U.S. tour, facing literal stormy weather just before their match against Wrexham in New York.

Severe weather canceled their flight from Chicago ahead of the game, prompting players to skip a scheduled public event to unveil the club’s away kit in Brooklyn. Club legends Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush stepped in as models for the new jersey, with the Empire State Building illuminated red to commemorate the occasion.

Yet, Liverpool faced another turbulent episode a day later when midfielder Curtis Jones had a public disagreement with Szoboszlai and defender Kostas Tsimikas at Yankee Stadium. Jones appeared upset about Szoboszlai choosing to pass the captain’s armband to Tsimikas instead of him during his substitution in the second half.

While such disagreements are common in elite football dressing rooms, having it happen in a public setting heightened the uncertainty regarding Jones’ future. The 25-year-old had a frustrating season under Slot, and although Iraola expressed his intention to keep Jones at Anfield last month, sources informed ESPN that Serie A champions Inter Milan recently rekindled their interest in him, as he approaches the end of his contract next summer.

Regardless of how the situation evolves, the tense moment at Yankee Stadium is a reminder that this role will challenge Iraola’s man-management skills in addition to his tactical acumen.

The newly appointed Liverpool manager expressed earlier in the tour that he prefers to remain calm, rather than directing frustrations towards his players. His predecessor, Slot, took a similar approach, with some claiming he was too lenient with the squad amid their poor performance last season. Iraola may find the need to balance firmness with fairness to get Liverpool back on the right path.

On the field, Jones’ potential departure could be mitigated by Nyoni’s emergence, who has been a standout during this tour. After limited appearances last season, the 19-year-old showcased his abilities in all three U.S. matches, positioning himself as a staple in Liverpool’s midfield this term.

“I recognized that I had much to work on over the summer, so I’ve focused on that and aimed to return ready for this pre-season,” Nyoni stated after the game at Chicago’s Soldier Field. “Of course, I need to keep improving.”

Indeed, this message should resonate with all members of the Liverpool squad. While Iraola’s first pre-season tour with the club is complete, the real work is just beginning for him and his players.