Liverpool's Bare-Bones Squad: Iraola's Transfer Priorities
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- Joe Gomez suffered a muscle injury in a pre-season friendly against Sunderland, leaving Virgil van Dijk as the only fit senior centre-back ahead of the Newcastle opener on August 17.
- Jeremy Jacquet was signed from Rennes for £60m but has yet to play a minute in pre-season due to a shoulder injury; Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined by an ACL tear suffered on his Liverpool debut in September.
- Liverpool are preparing to make contact with PSG over Bradley Barcola as their priority marquee wide-forward target to replace departed Mohamed Salah, despite Jamie Carragher questioning whether a player who favours the left is the right fit.
- Conor Bradley's serious knee injury — potentially months away from recovery — leaves no natural right-back, with Jeremie Frimpong having struggled defensively and Arne Slot previously forced to deploy Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai there.
- Cody Gakpo is wanted by Tottenham, but Liverpool insist they would need adequate replacement depth before selling the Netherlands international, who has four years left on his contract.
- Inter want Curtis Jones but their valuation falls short of Liverpool's; Gravenberch's emergence as a No. 6 had deprioritised holding midfield, though last season's performances highlighted the need for reinforcement.
Why it matters: With three weeks until the Newcastle opener and Van Dijk as the only fit senior centre-back, Liverpool may be forced to start the season with academy products or makeshift options in defence, while their marquee target Barcola — a left-footed player — would not naturally fill the right-wing vacancy left by Salah's exit.
