Iraola moves to protect Liverpool’s key assets from Real and Juventus
Liverpool’s new head coach Andoni Iraola has explicitly ruled out selling Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson, shielding two of the club’s most valuable assets from European rivals as he begins a major squad rebuild.
Andoni Iraola has moved quickly to secure Liverpool’s playing squad by confirming that Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson will not be sold this season. The announcement, made from Chicago during Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States, ends months of speculation linking the pair with moves to Real Madrid and Juventus respectively.
Retaining both players is a crucial signal of stability for a club transitioning to a new manager. Mac Allister, under contract until 2028, and Alisson represent significant financial and sporting capital on the club’s balance sheet. Losing either to major European competitors would have forced Liverpool into a reactive and potentially expensive transfer market just as Iraola attempts to implement his system.
Mac Allister’s future had been the subject of intense debate following Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain. The 27-year-old is unlikely to be fully fit for the Premier League opener against Newcastle due to a post-World Cup holiday. However, Iraola acknowledged the market dynamics and shut down the exit talk.
“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,” Iraola said. “It always happens in other markets. But I want to keep my good players. I’m looking forward more to signing new players rather than losing the ones we have here.”
The situation with Alisson was similar, with Juventus having explored a deal at the end of the last campaign. Iraola, who has yet to meet either player in person due to their World Cup exertions, framed the Brazilian as an indispensable leader. “I am very happy with the situation we have right now in the goalkeeping area,” Iraola said, noting the presence of Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, and Freddie Woodman, while Armin Pecsi heads out on loan.
While Iraola has protected his core assets, he conceded the squad requires immediate investment, particularly in defence. The club is “very thin” in defensive numbers following a serious knee injury to Conor Bradley in January. Bradley would otherwise be the first choice at right-back, but his absence creates a gap in the roster that the transfer market must fill.
Liverpool are currently operating with a youthful squad in Chicago, with senior figures like Virgil van Dijk, Alisson and Cody Gakpo due to begin training on Merseyside next week. Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Ryan Gravenberch will join the US tour later. Midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Wataru Endo are nearing a return to group training, though Giovanni Leoni remains further behind.
For Bradley and Hugo Ekitiké, however, Iraola offered a blunt assessment of their commercial and sporting availability. “Conor and Hugo are way off. We are talking about months.”
