Andoni Iraola moves to improve defensive optionsUruguay defender expected to complete his medical Liverpool have agreed to sign Ronald Araújo on a season-long loan from Barcelona after Andoni Iraola was faced with lack of defensive options for the start of the new season.Concerns over Jérémy Jacquet – the France Under -21 defender who arrived last season for more than £50m – and injuries to Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni have left Liverpool short of options at the back after the departure of Ibrahima Konaté on a free transfer to Real Madrid. Continue reading...

Midfielder adapting to life under new managerReds need ‘something special’ without further additionsDominik Szoboszlai believes last season’s frustration can push Liverpool to challenge for the title again but admits the squad must produce “something special” if no reinforcements arrive before the transfer deadline.The Liverpool midfielder upped his already impressive level last season, being named the club’s player of the year, but collectively the team went into reverse with Arne Slot losing his job as a consequence. The poor title defence from a team that won the Premier League comfortably in Slot’s debut season should, Szoboszlai insists, prompt a reaction in Andoni Iraola’s debut campaign as Liverpool head coach. Continue reading...

Liverpool head coach has called for reinforcements in attack

Reds face Monaco in pre-season friendly this weekend and Andoni Iraola is set to be handed a selection boost

USA cricketer Bodugum Akhilesh Reddy has been banned from all cricket for eight years by the ICC after being found guilty of three counts of breaking anti-corruption rules by a tribunal.

Teenager Nyoni excelled in Andoni Iraola’s first pre-season tour, but the head coach desperately needs transfers Andoni Iraola’s first pre-season tour as the Liverpool head coach produced wins over Sunderland in Nashville and Wrexham in New York before ending in a 4-2 defeat against Leeds in Chicago. The Guardian followed the tour throughout, and here are a few things we learned. Continue reading...

Liverpool 2-4 LeedsCalvert-Lewin scores twice as Leeds come back from 2-0 downAfter 45 minutes at Soldier Field the tale of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the US was of three straight wins and Andoni Iraola’s ideas taking shape thanks in no small part to Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. After 90, with Liverpool’s expensive duo off the scene, it centred on a stirring Leeds fightback and the recurrence of a fragility that Iraola could well do without.Daniel Farke’s team staged a convincing comeback to inflict a first defeat of pre-season on the new ­Liverpool head coach. Dominic ­Calvert-Lewin, twice, Brenden Aaronson and Sean Longstaff all scored in the space 25 minutes as Liverpool failed to deal with Leeds’ strength at set-pieces and the disruption caused by a series of half-times changes. The drop-off from Liverpool, who led 2-0 at half-time, following the departures of Wirtz, Isak, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha was drastic. Continue reading...

Former Bournemouth boss was in charge for nearly five years