There may be these at Liverpool fearing the worst following a muted summer season window, however Andoni Iraola has already confirmed he can maximise what he has at his disposal, following that effective latest spell at Bournemouth.
The Basque boss misplaced nearly his total backline final summer season, but barely kicked up a fuss, whereas additionally embarking on a outstanding unbeaten run within the wake of Antoine Semenyo‘s exit to Manchester Metropolis on a £64m deal.
Semenyo had helped to kickstart that 18-game streak by netting the winner towards Tottenham Hotspur on his remaining Cherries look, with all events reaping the advantages of that amicable departure.
From a promising Championship expertise at Bristol Metropolis, the Ghanaian emerged as a Premier League powerhouse underneath Iraola’s watch, with the longer term actually wanting vibrant for Liverpool’s present crop of wingers, subsequently.
Semenyo’s file underneath Iraola at Bournemouth
These watching on at Ashton Gate just a few seasons in the past may effectively be stunned to be taught that Semenyo is now a Manchester Metropolis sensation, contemporary from having scored 17 league objectives in 2025/26.
There have been indicators of promise again in Bristol, together with his 20 aim involvements within the Championship in 2021/22, however the London-born speedster did not boast the physique of labor to counsel he might explode at Premier League degree.
And but, the 27-year-old’s rise has been beautiful of late, maybe largely because of the presence of Iraola, the brand new Liverpool boss having moved to the south coast in the summertime of 2023, six months after Semenyo’s personal January swap.
Their first full season working collectively noticed the two-footed winger rating eight instances and register two assists within the prime flight, earlier than he added an additional 16 aim involvements throughout a very breakout 2024/25 marketing campaign.
A rampant begin to 2025/26, following reviews of Manchester United curiosity final summer season, noticed Semenyo safe a deserved transfer to the Etihad, having risen from the Championship to the Champions League in double fast time.
|
Semenyo – Stats By Coach |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Coach |
Video games |
Targets (Assists) |
|
Iraola |
99 |
31 (13) |
|
Pearson |
72 |
18 (14) |
|
Holden |
35 |
3 (6) |
|
Flynn |
32 |
6 (2) |
|
Guardiola |
16 |
0 (1) |
|
O’Neil |
11 |
1 (0) |
|
Parkinson |
7 |
0 (0) |
|
Simpson |
2 |
0 (0) |
|
Whole |
301 |
70 (39) |
The religion and work of Iraola have been central to that, with the one-time Newport County winger finally scoring and helping 44 objectives in simply 99 video games underneath the ex-Cherries boss.
The likes of Victor Munoz and Rio Ngumoha might effectively profit from Iraola’s teaching this season, but with Mohamed Salah’s void nonetheless there to be stuffed, do not rule out additional incomings.
How Liverpool can signal Iraola’s subsequent Semenyo
The backline at Anfield has been strengthened by the shock mortgage arrival of Ronald Araujo, following the prior seize of Jeremy Jacquet, however the aforementioned Munoz stays the one attacking incoming this summer season.
Contemplating Hugo Ekitike stays sidelined, and with Cody Gakpo courting consideration from Tottenham Hotspur, there’s an actual dearth of depth and real high quality, the Reds maybe nonetheless left to rue the choice to maneuver on Luis Diaz a 12 months in the past.
Alas, it is higher to look ahead than within the rear-view mirror, with hopes nonetheless excessive that Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola will be the marquee signing that the Merseysiders are in want of.
Within the view of the Day by day Mail’s Lewis Steele – chatting with talkSPORT – FSG are nonetheless “completely determined” to snap up the Frenchman this summer season, with Barcola himself additionally “eager” on the transfer.
“Barcola himself appears to be fairly eager on making the transfer occur, Liverpool are completely determined to make the deal occur and PSG appear to be they’re open to promoting.”
Each events, and the participant, look like open to this deal going forward, with funds more likely to be the one sticking level, in addition to PSG’s personal seek for a substitute.
If phrases will be agreed earlier than the deadline, this is able to mark such a coup for Liverpool, with Barcola becoming the Semenyo mould as a lightning-fast winger who could possibly be the driving pressure of Iraola’s ahead line.
The important thing function of Barcola’s recreation is his breathtaking pace and innate dribbling prowess, the 23-year-old notably averaging 1.2 profitable dribbles per recreation in Ligue 1 final season, in addition to 1.1 per recreation within the Champions League.
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For comparability, Semenyo was solely simply forward with a 1.6 common within the Premier League throughout his time with out Bournemouth and Metropolis in 2025/26, so adept at beating full-backs at will.
In Barcola’s case, he actually made an affect in Could’s Champions League remaining win over Arsenal, stretching the Gunners’ defence off the bench with a handful of searing runs in behind, one among which ended with a shot that flashed into the aspect netting.
A 12 months earlier, within the thumping 5-0 win over Inter Milan within the showpiece, the previous Lyon man additionally launched into a surprising, solo run late on, coming agonisingly near netting one among the nice Champions League remaining objectives.
Very like Semenyo, he is a match winner and a game-changer, somebody who can ship the products himself or tee up alternatives for teammates.
In 2024/25, for example, he reached double figures for each objectives and assists in Ligue 1, whereas notably netting 11 league objectives final time period for the French champions.
Whereas primarily deployed on the left flank, Barcola does mirror Semenyo as a winger who can drift over to the opposite flank when wanted, along with his pleasant dink towards Senegal within the World Cup having come following a burst into the suitable channel.
He is the explosive, dynamic winger that Iraola does not appear to have in his arsenal proper now, with it thrilling to foretell what the Liverpool boss can do with such an elite expertise, having already seen the likes of Semenyo blossom underneath his tutelage.
