Liverpool's Transfer Window Under Andoni Iraola: Expectations and Challenges

Andoni Iraola feels the weight of Liverpool now. The first transfer window of his reign had all the hallmarks of life at Anfield in 2026: big expectations, bigger noise, and a few bruises along the way.

The 43-year-old walked out of the summer with three new first‑team signings – Victor Munoz, Ronald Araujo and Bradley Barcola – plus the long‑planned arrival of Jeremy Jacquet, a deal put in motion under Arne Slot. On paper, it’s a strong haul. In reality, the story of the window will be remembered just as much for what Liverpool didn’t get.

Mohamed Salah has gone. His goals, his gravity, his guarantee of chaos on the right flank. Liverpool wanted a replacement, a new right‑winger to carry that burden. They didn’t get one. Not yet.

Minteh chase parked… for now

For weeks, Yankuba Minteh looked like the answer. Iraola pushed. Liverpool bid. Twice.

Brighton stood firm.

The Seagulls knocked back offers of £50 million and £60m, refusing to bend as the clock ticked towards the deadline. At 22, Minteh is one of Brighton’s crown jewels and they treated him like it. The winger stayed at the Amex Stadium. The hole on Liverpool’s right stayed open.

Now, though, Iraola has a fresh reason to believe that story is not finished.

Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler has openly suggested that Minteh’s future could come back into play in January. Speaking about the Gambian international, the 33-year-old said:

"If the whole team is successful and the individual shines then Yankuba will get a lot of attention again and he can then maybe fulfil his dream in the next transfer window."

It was not a formal invitation to bid. But it sounded very much like a door being left on the latch. If Minteh continues to light up the Premier League, Liverpool will not be the only club listening.

Chaos, then a quiet coup

While the Minteh pursuit stalled, Liverpool’s Deadline Day descended into the usual swirl of tension and refresh-button anxiety. The Bradley Barcola saga dominated the final stretch, his move finally pushed over the line as Iraola sought to reshape his forward options.

When the window slammed shut on September 1, many supporters were still trying to process what had just happened. No right‑winger. Big money refused. Holes in the squad still visible.

Then came a twist, away from the glare of the countdown graphics.

Days after the deadline, Liverpool confirmed they had agreed a deal to sign Djylian N'Guessan from Saint‑Etienne. The announcement landed on Friday: an 18-year-old forward, a £4.3 million fee, and a move that speaks more to the club’s long-term planning than short-term patchwork.

N'Guessan will officially join Liverpool in January, but he will not be seen in a red shirt any time soon. The teenager has been loaned to Ligue 1 side Stade Brestois for the 2026/27 season, a deliberate step to harden him in a top division before he even sets foot on Merseyside.

His résumé is modest but intriguing. Thirteen senior appearances for Saint‑Etienne, one goal, and a key role for France at the U20 World Cup last year, where he featured seven times as they finished fourth. Not a headline act yet, but clearly one Liverpool believe can grow into something more.

So Iraola exits his first summer with Liverpool in a curious position. He has a reinforced spine, a marquee defender in Araujo, a livewire in Barcola, and a promising teenager already mapped out on a development path. He also has a glaring vacancy on the right wing and a potential January battle brewing for Minteh.

Renewed faith from the board. Renewed pressure from the stands. And four months until the window opens again, when Liverpool must decide whether Minteh is the missing piece – or just one chapter in a much bigger rebuild.