{"id":1138829,"date":"2026-08-09T01:37:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T01:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1138829\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T01:37:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T01:37:21","slug":"liverpools-predicted-xi-under-andoni-iraola-after-araujo-deal-agreed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1138829\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool’s predicted XI under Andoni Iraola after Araujo deal agreed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Andoni Iraola is the new Liverpool<\/a> manager after they got rid of Arne Slot, but how will the new boss set his side up?<\/p>\n

Iraola seems more in line with the \u2018heavy metal\u2019 style of football that Jurgen Klopp used at Liverpool than Slot. Indeed, one of his former colleagues once called his style \u2018rock and roll\u2019. Close enough.<\/p>\n

Returning to a high-intensity game should suit some of the Liverpool squad, even if that squad has changed a lot since Klopp\u2019s days.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve predicted how Liverpool will be lining up next season after the appointment of Iraola and a couple of new signings for good measure.<\/p>\n

GK: Alisson Becker<\/p>\n

There\u2019s some doubt over Alisson\u2019s future at Liverpool as he nears the last year of his contract.<\/p>\n

But if Liverpool can keep him, they should. His passing range would fit in well with Iraola\u2019s tactics, which often encourage the keeper to go long if under pressure.<\/p>\n

RB: Guela Doue<\/p>\n

Liverpool got it wrong in their quest to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer. Jeremie Frimpong was a talented available option, but didn\u2019t fit in well with their 4-2-3-1 formation.<\/p>\n

Although Iraola will use a similar formation, his tactics will be different to Slot\u2019s. Still, right-back is definitely an area to reinforce.<\/p>\n

One player they were tentatively linked with last summer and might be wise to revisit is Guela Doue, brother of PSG winger Desire Doue.<\/p>\n

Good on the ball, he made seven assists for Strasbourg last season. But his potential pathway to their sister club Chelsea has been blocked by the Blues buying Marco Palestra from Atalanta.<\/p>\n

There could be an opportunity for Liverpool to sneak in and snatch Doue for themselves, although their right-back plans remain up in the air.<\/p>\n

CB: Jeremy Jacquet<\/p>\n

With Ibrahima Konate having left for Real Madrid, Liverpool may have to fast-track Jacquet into the starting XI.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re welcoming the 20-year-old from Rennes this summer after agreeing a deal in February.<\/p>\n

Jacquet\u2019s athletic ability should make him a good fit for Iraola\u2019s high line. And now they have Araujo as experienced back-up<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CB: Virgil van Dijk<\/p>\n

Playing in a high line at his age might catch up with Van Dijk, but you can\u2019t imagine Liverpool\u2019s captain not being a starter, under any coach.<\/p>\n

Liverpool might need to add another centre-back for the long term, or phase in Giovanni Leoni over the coming months, but a starting spot is still Van Dijk\u2019s to lose.<\/p>\n

LB: Milos Kerkez<\/p>\n

Quite a straightforward one, this. Kerkez wasn\u2019t brilliant in his first year at Liverpool, but maybe just needed to get it under his belt as a settling-in period.<\/p>\n

Season two should bring better things for him \u2013 especially if it\u2019s under the guidance of the coach that brought the best out of him at Bournemouth.<\/p>\n

CM: Ryan Gravenberch<\/p>\n

It\u2019s fair to say Slot got a better tune out of Gravenberch than Klopp did, but the Dutchman should use that as motivation to keep up his momentum rather than cause for concern.<\/p>\n

He\u2019ll have to improve his off-the-ball work, but can help his side set the tempo on it.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be too surprised if Liverpool look for one more midfielder to add into the mix, though.<\/p>\n

CM: Dominik Szoboszlai<\/p>\n

\u201cOff the ball he is top three, four or five in the world, and [he is] maybe the best in the world in terms of pressing,\u201d said Slot of Szoboszlai in March.<\/p>\n

On the back of his best Liverpool season, he should be a big tick for Iraola.<\/p>\n

RW: Rio Ngumoha<\/p>\n

It may be too soon for Ngumoha to become first choice at Liverpool, but this is our dream XI and he\u2019s certainly got the talent.<\/p>\n

Ngumoha enjoyed a breakout season at Anfield last year, famously scoring the winner at Newcastle in August and making his England debut before the World Cup.<\/p>\n

Quick-footed and brave, Iraola would be wise to nurture this potentially generational talent. It would earn him goodwill from the Liverpool fans, too.<\/p>\n

AM: Florian Wirtz<\/p>\n

There will be some fans who\u2019d have preferred Xabi Alonso to replace Slot. Maybe some players too, and Wirtz could be one of them after their successful link-up at Bayer Leverkusen.<\/p>\n

But he should still find a lot to like with his responsibilities for Iraola. The attacking midfielder is an intense presser and taking on those kind of duties could unlock his potential after a lukewarm debut Liverpool season.<\/p>\n

LW: Bradley Barcola<\/p>\n

Slot\u2019s over-reliance on Cody Gakpo was much to the frustration of some Liverpool fans. The switch to a new manager could offer hope of a change on the wing.<\/p>\n

If Rio Ngumoha isn\u2019t quite ready yet \u2013 although Iraola has proven he can improve young talent \u2013 then a new signing could come in to replace Gakpo.<\/p>\n

Victor Munoz has already arrived from Osasuna, but he will be a long-term prospect. He\u2019s taken a big step up with the calibre of club he\u2019s representing and might not be a nailed-on starter yet.<\/p>\n

For someone more ready, PSG\u2019s Bradley Barcola is heavily linked with Liverpool at the moment, either for a role on the right as a Salah replacement or the left, which is his more natural territory.<\/p>\n

If Liverpool have the funds for two more winger signings, they would be wise to bring in Barcola for his favoured role on the left as a Gakpo upgrade.<\/p>\n

It will take a lot of money, though.<\/p>\n

CF: Alexander Isak<\/p>\n

A massive season beckons for Isak after his injury-hit first year with Liverpool.<\/p>\n

The club-record signing will start next season as their main striker and will be hoping Iraola\u2019s game will be a good match for him.<\/p>\n

An intelligent high presser, Isak should fit in well and will be hoping to rediscover his scoring touch.<\/p>\n

If Iraola can inspire a 13-goal debut Premier League season by a teenager like Eli Junior Kroupi<\/a>, it should be promising for what he can do with an experienced and established striker like Isak.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Ranking Liverpool\u2019s 9 Premier League managers from worst to best<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every player Arne Slot has used as Liverpool manager?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Andoni Iraola is the new Liverpool manager after they got rid of Arne Slot, but how will the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1138830,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[8815],"tags":[14384,748,393,4884,2998,195178,179,122477,16,15],"class_list":["post-1138829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-liverpool","tag-andoni-iraola","tag-britain","tag-england","tag-great-britain","tag-latest","tag-lists-and-rankings","tag-liverpool","tag-popular","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/117062994953342563","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1138829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1138829"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1138829\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1138830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1138829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1138829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1138829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}