Liverpool manager Iraola has moved to underline his desire to retain both Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson amid uncertainty surrounding the futures of two of the club’s most prominent players.
Mac Allister, 27, has yet to begin talks over a new contract, fuelling speculation that the midfielder could leave Anfield this summer. Iraola was candid about the situation but firm in his stance. “I think Alexis has been one of the best players at the club for the last few years, and he has had a very good World Cup, so it is normal that other clubs want our best players,” the Spaniard said. “I want to keep my good players. I’m looking forward more to signing new players rather than losing the ones we have here.”
Goalkeeper Alisson, who also featured at the World Cup, has a year remaining on his contract and has been linked with a move to Juventus. Despite that, Iraola made clear the 33-year-old Brazilian remains central to his plans. “Alisson is someone also in a changing room that has lost some references in terms of experience,” he explained. “He’s someone that definitely will help us in this process of adaptation of the new signings, of the new players, the young players. We need the references like Virgil [van Dijk], like Alisson, like Joe Gomez.”
Iraola also acknowledged that defensive depth is a pressing concern heading into the transfer window. Conor Bradley’s absence is a particular issue at right-back, with the manager confirming the player is still “months” away from returning. “We trust Conor in the long term, we know we want him to be our right-back, but right now he is still a little bit far from returning,” Iraola said.
With problems at both centre-back and right-back, the Liverpool boss admitted the squad is stretched. “In terms of defensive depth, we are very thin right now, so it’s a solution that we are trying to find,” he added.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
