Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool tenure has begun under strain after Joe Gomez was forced off inside 10 minutes of the Reds’ preseason opener against Sunderland.

The setback immediately tightened an already limited defensive pool, with Iraola making clear how quickly the situation turned. “Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe,” Iraola reflected after the game.

He added: “We were happy because we were kind of going through all the training without losing any player. Unluckily for us, straight away we’ve lost Joe.”

Gomez’s departure left 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe to step in, with no other senior alternatives available on the day. That reality now leaves Iraola facing the rest of the preseason tour, and possibly the opening of the new season, with very little margin for error at the back.

Liverpool’s situation is complicated further by the absence of Virgil van Dijk, who has not travelled to the U.S. as he continues to rest after the World Cup. Giovanni Leoni is also still working through the final stages of recovery from an ACL injury, while summer signing Jérémy Jacquet was not included in the matchday squad on Saturday despite having been training with the group for weeks.

Liverpool paid around $80 million (£60 million) to secure Jacquet in early February, then allowed him to complete the season with Rennes. He played only two more times before a season-ending shoulder injury, and Iraola later said the 21-year-old is still not quite ready.

“With Jeremy, we decided to take it easy with him,” Iraola explained. “He has been a lot of months without playing with a shoulder injury. So, I think we are going to take it easy with him.

“He will play probably the last game of this U.S. tour and he will have time to have minutes. It’s true that we were kind of happy but we’ve lost one now.”

Iraola had already described his squad as “very thin” and pointed to issues at both right back and centre back. On paper, Liverpool list four senior centre backs, but the current availability picture tells a different story, with Leoni not yet back in team training and Jacquet still needing time to build toward full readiness.

With the World Cup having only recently concluded, Premier League clubs are already deep into their 2026/27 preseason programmes. The calendar is tight, the travel is heavy and the purpose is clear: get players ready, test combinations and give new faces a chance to make an early impression.

Arsenal, the reigning champions, are among the later starters. Their first friendly comes on Aug. 1 against Girona in Catalonia, before further meetings with Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund and Como. They will then face Manchester City in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Aston Villa have already opened with a 5-0 win over Walsall and continue across Europe and Asia, while Bournemouth began with a 4-1 victory against St. Pauli. Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion both have short schedules remaining, with each taking on European opposition in mid-August.

Chelsea’s first run under new manager Xabi Alonso takes them to Australia for matches against Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, before trips through Hong Kong, Jakarta and Malaysia. Their final friendly is against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge.

Elsewhere, Everton have mixed early results and face a demanding route through Scotland, Germany and home soil before meeting Lille. Fulham also have work to do after a behind-closed-doors defeat to Norwich City. Hull City, Ipswich Town and Coventry City all have their own preparations mapped out, while Crystal Palace have already played twice and continue with fixtures in Italy and Germany.

Liverpool’s schedule includes a United States tour against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United, followed by Monaco and two games against Como on Aug. 16. Manchester City are taking a lighter approach, starting with Inter in Hong Kong before facing the K-League All-Stars, Atlético Madrid and Arsenal. Manchester United, meanwhile, have already lost to Wrexham and beaten Rosenborg 5-0, with Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and Milan still to come.

Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur also remain busy, with each club using these final weeks to sharpen up before the league begins.

Liverpool are still looking for a wide player after Mohamed Salah’s departure, and the lack of a direct successor is already shaping the club’s thinking. With the new Premier League season drawing closer, it is clear that a simple like-for-like answer is not available.

Víctor Muñoz has arrived from Osasuna to operate on the left, where he can either challenge Cody Gakpo or provide cover in the pressing structure preferred by Andoni Iraola. On the other flank, Liverpool had been linked with Yan Diomande, but the teenager’s reported $114 million valuation and preference for Paris Saint-Germain have made that route difficult. PSG’s Bradley Barcola has also been mentioned, although he is generally considered a left winger. That leaves Liverpool with a need to balance the left side carefully, especially with Rio Ngumoha emerging there too.

Akliouche now looks the more natural fit. The Monaco forward is more comfortable on the right and, like Salah, likes to drift inside onto his left foot. He is also of interest to PSG, which underlines his standing, but his price appears far more manageable than Diomande’s. Current estimates place him around $57 million (€50 million).

Sky Sports reported that Liverpool have made an “initial approach” by asking about his availability this summer. There has been no formal bid, only an attempt to establish whether Monaco are willing to sell and at what price. PSG, meanwhile, have already seen “several” offers turned down, with the highest reportedly worth $45.5 million (€40 million).

Akliouche is not being framed as Salah’s exact successor. His value lies more in creation than scoring, and his assists could be as important as his goals for players such as Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitiké or Florian Wirtz. He recorded seven goals and 10 assists across Ligue 1 and the Champions League last season.

Out of possession, he also fits the tactical demands of Iraola, regularly helping to win the ball high up the pitch. That profile suggests Liverpool may be moving toward a different kind of attacking balance, one in which the central striker carries more of the scoring load.