Andoni Iraola is set to succeed Arne Slot as the next Liverpool head coach. When a new boss walks in, there is said to be a clean slate for every player. However, there are some Reds players whose positions are safer than others.
These Liverpool players should be safe in the new Iraola r
Liverpool players who are safe for Andoni Iraola's rebuild
- Milos Kerkez
Kerkez excelled under Iraola at AFC Bournemouth. Under the Spaniard, he played 74 games, scoring twice and setting up eight goals.
This led to his transfer to Liverpool. However, he was not so effective for the Reds this season, scoring twice and assisting just twice in 48 games.
Iraola is the man to get Kerkez back to his best. He needs to show trust in the left-back, especially with Andy Robertson having left the club to join Tottenham Hotspur.
- Virgil van Dijk
Iraola needs to get the leaders at Liverpool on his side. They do not come much bigger than the captain Virgil van Dijk. With Ibrahima Konate set to depart the Reds and join Real Madrid, the question now is who Iraola will partner van Dijk with at the back.
- Dominik Szoboszlai
Dominik Szoboszlai was one of Liverpool's star players last season. He scored 13 goals with 12 assists in 53 games in all competitions.
The Hungarian is also very versatile as he was able to play in attacking and central midfield roles, as well as at right-back. Iraola will be hoping to get him playing consistently in his favored attacking midfield role.
Liverpool players who are on thin ice for Andoni Iraola's rebuild
- Cody Gakpo
Gakpo is too associated with the old regime to be kept on at Liverpool. He was seen as one of Slot's favorites, who was always given game time despite his poor form.
Gakpo managed just nine goals with six assists in 52 games in all competitions last season. The Reds will need a new winger to replace Mohamed Salah, and this could see the end of Gakpo's time at Anfield.
- Alexis Mac Allister
Mac Allister was considered a very good player when he was at Brighton & Hove Albion and in his first two campaigns with Liverpool. However, last season, he managed just five goals with seven assists in 55 games in all competitions.
Iraola favors a 4-2-3-1 formation, and players such as Ryan Gravenberch and Szoboszlai fit into his system much better than Mac Allister.
The Argentine's future could depend on how he performs at the World Cup. He won the tournament in 2022, and needs to prove himself once again after a disappointing campaign with his club.
- Harvey Elliott
Harvey Elliot returns to Liverpool this summer after a nightmare loan to Aston Villa. For Unai Emery's side, he played just nine games, scored once, and did not make an assist. His goal was in a defeat to Brentford in the EFL Cup.
He was a highly rated young player who won two European Under-21 Championships with England. However, his development has stalled as he has lacked game time at Liverpool and Villa.
Elliot has produced moments of magic in a Liverpool shirt. For example, he got the winning goal in the first leg of a Champions League last 16 match with Paris Saint-Germain.
The midfielder is still only 23, and there are rumors that he could be on his way to RB Leipzig. The Bundesliga has been a breeding ground for many young English players. Therefore, this could be the perfect fit for Elliott to get his career back on track.
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