Iraola Hints at Possible Gakpo Departure as Liverpool Near Deal for Barcola

Andoni Iraola, Liverpool's manager, admitted he cannot promise that Cody Gakpo will stay at Anfield past the summer transfer deadline. The Dutch forward has attracted strong interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City during the final hectic days of the transfer window.

Gakpo, who joined Liverpool in January 2023, has scored 51 goals in 181 appearances across all competitions. Tottenham has been particularly keen on him throughout the summer, with Manchester City also keeping an eye on the 27-year-old attacker. Meanwhile, Liverpool is moving closer to a club-record deal for Paris Saint-Germain's young star Bradley Barcola, making Gakpo’s exit a real possibility.

Iraola on Transfer Market Speculation

Speaking ahead of Liverpool's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest, Iraola said: "When the market is open, you cannot guarantee anything with anyone. We don't know who will arrive. Cody is playing very well for us. He’s been excellent since returning from the World Cup. I’d like to see how the market finishes, but right now I don’t know what will happen. I can guess who we might sign and in which positions, but experience tells me if there’s an opportunity on the last day, and it improves us, then we’ll take it."

Barcola Deal Progressing

Liverpool looks set to secure their main attacking target after reaching an outline agreement with PSG for Barcola. Negotiations took a big step forward on Wednesday evening, with Liverpool ready to pay an initial fee just over £100 million. Once performance-related bonuses are included, the total could reach around £120 million.

Despite the progress, Iraola kept his comments guarded about Barcola’s arrival: "You know we’re trying to sign someone in that position, but we cannot discuss players who aren’t ours yet. We want to fill that spot because right now, our numbers there are limited. I hope to have good news soon, but we’re not there yet."

Potential Midfield Additions Still Open

The recent 2-2 draw with Newcastle raised questions about squad depth, especially following a quiet summer transfer window. So far, Liverpool has brought in Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, Victor Munoz from Osasuna, and Ifeanyi Ndukwe from Austria Wien, while Curtis Jones left for Inter.

Iraola acknowledged that although attacking reinforcements are the focus, the club remains open to adding players elsewhere if opportunities arise. He said: "Ideally, we want to strengthen different areas. The priority has been the wide positions. If we can improve other spots, we will. But I don’t know how the market will end. I need to be patient like you all. It’s uncomfortable dealing with uncertainty. In four or five days, we’ll be able to make clearer plans. On September 1, we’ll know our options."

Squad Rotation and Player Status

With the transfer deadline looming, questions remain over the status of Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott, both absent from the squad against Newcastle. Chiesa is recovering from a minor muscle injury, while Elliott is competing for minutes under Iraola’s system.

On their situations, Iraola explained: "Fede is unavailable because he felt something in training. For Harvey, I can only choose 20 players. It’s about balancing the bench. Harvey is improving every week, but I prefer other options currently. I selected James McConnell for the squad. Every week offers new chances; players must keep that mindset."