news-engine

Andoni Iraola is about to reveal all as 4 Liverpool players will get answer they've waited for Liverpool is set to face Como in its final friendlies before the Premier League season gets underway, and Andoni Iraola may be about to give hints on the futures of four of his players This time next week, Liverpool will be just mere hours away from kicking off the Andoni Iraola era properly. Before then though, the Reds’ head coach has some big calls to make. Today marks the final opportunity for players to really catch their new boss’ eye - or in Alexis Mac Allister’s case, the first. With two friendlies against Italian side Como to come later, Iraola will likely see the second of those games - the only one in front of a crowd - as a dress rehearsal for the season opener against Newcastle in seven days’ time. You’d have to imagine then that the Spaniard will go with what he considers to be his strongest line-up, or at least something close to it. There are still question marks surrounding the fitness of one or two players you’d expect to get in there, but by in large, it’s time for the focus to shift. There are some obvious names you can pretty much bank on featuring in that team. Captain Virgil van Dijk would be a shoo-in even without the injury problems in defense, while Alisson Becker should still retain the No.1 spot in goal. Dominik Szoboszlai has, without question, been the standout player of the last 12 months, so he gets in, while the club’s two record signings, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, will be tasked with overcoming a difficult first year at Anfield. Other places in the side might be a bit more up in the air, but we could find out a lot more about Iraola’s thinking with his squad later today - especially when it comes to four players. Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo seem to be in the same boat right now. Both could make claims to be in Iraola’s strongest side, but both also face real competition for their places - and both could yet be on the move this summer. Inter Milan’s interest in Jones is no secret by this point, while speculation linking Gakpo with Tottenham seems to be growing by the day. With a little over two weeks to go until the window shuts, today could provide the biggest hint on where exactly they stand. Iraola has already insisted he wants to keep Jones, saying last month: "For me he is a great, great player and I hope he can continue with us and continue performing the way he has been performing. "It's very important that he's Scouse, that he's from here. I also like the personality. From the outside at least he looks like a player with good character and I hope we can keep him, not only for this year but for more time." Liverpool FC have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27, inspired by iconic adidas strip worn during the club's 1989/90 title-winning campaign. Whether that equates to more regular starts though remains to be seen, and we might find out more against Cesc Fabregas’ side. The same goes for Gakpo, who faces a real fight now with the plethora of options on the left-wing, which may only grow before the end of the summer. As for Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa, their futures seem a bit muddled. You would have expected both to be on the move at the start of the summer, but speculation regarding them has quietened considerably, and the latter has even suggested he’s happy where he is. Of course, another season with only fleeting opportunities won’t satisfy either, and we should be able to gauge today just how seriously Iraola is considering them for the campaign ahead. There is still time for either or both to move on, likewise Jones and Gakpo. This could prove to be Iraola’s biggest day in charge so far.