EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsOver coffee at Liverpool's plush pre-season hotel in downtown Chicago, new head coach Andoni Iraola laid out the immediate challenges facing him at Anfield."You have to improve the team," he explained. "You have to find the best positions for every player, the good combinations for the team and that is what we are now [running out of time to do]."The 44-year-old was speaking to a host of traveling reporters, including ESPN, on the first day of the Reds' pre-season tour of the United States. Over the past two weeks, Iraola has sought to make inroads on the aforementioned order of business, assessing his squad in friendly games in Nashville, New York and Chicago. But with less than a month to go until Iraola's Liverpool career begins in earnest against Newcastle United in the Premier League, it is clear time is not on his side.The Reds' trip across the Atlantic was instructive, both for good reasons and for bad.In the absence of several senior players, some young stars -- including midfielder Trey Nyoni and central defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe -- seized the opportunity to shine. Iraola has had the first real opportunity to begin implementing his notoriously intense training regime and commence the process of getting his squad up to speed for the start of the new season.- Premier League kits: All 2026-27 jerseys, ranked- Tickets, please! Liverpool's new away kit- Tighe: Explaining every top team's transfer strategyHowever, the last couple of weeks have also underlined Liverpool's desperate need for reinforcements and the magnitude of the task facing Iraola and his staff. With each passing day, the Reds are -- as Iraola observed -- losing time to position themselves as genuine contenders to reclaim the Premier League title they surrendered so meekly to Arsenal last term.A big few weeks now lie ahead. Here's what ESPN learned from spending time with the team in the United States.Shopping, shooting hoops and intensity in ChicagoWhile Liverpool's pre-season tour took them to three different cities -- Nashville, New York and Chicago -- they sought to ensure that Chicago was their home away from home.The team were based at the luxurious Park Hyatt Hotel, outside of which swarms of supporters gathered each day, hoping to catch a glimpse of their heroes. On one occasion, a young fan wearing a Liverpool shirt was given a moment to remember when striker Hugo Ekitike -- who had travelled with the team to continue his rehabilitation from an Achilles injury -- stopped to shake his hand and pose for a photograph in the hotel lobby.But while the club's global appeal remains as strong as ever, players were largely free to explore the city in relative anonymity and were regularly spotted checking out the high-end shops in the Gold Coast district, as well as taking walks along the picturesque Oak Street Beach. Some of the squad also enjoyed a visit to the home of NBA franchise the Chicago Bulls, where they walked in the footsteps of the legendary Michael Jordan and tried their hand at shooting some hoops.Each matchday was approached in the same way as a Champions League away trip, with the team flying into the host city the night before then immediately returning to their refuge in Chicago after the match. It was there that the majority of Liverpool's training took place, with sessions held at the Endeavour Health Performance Centre, which is home to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Chicago Fire.Iraola alternated between single and double sessions to help raise players' fitness levels and took a noticeably hands-on approach, coaching each player with the same meticulous level of detail, regardless of their status within the squad. At one open training session, onlookers were treated to some sharp shooting from Chicago Fire's new signing Robert Lewandowski before the Liverpool players took to the pitch to complete a number of passing drills, followed by a nine-a-side match.Earlier in the tour, Iraola had introduced his squad to a game called "Consequences" -- a punishing forfeit that entails players running between the two 18-yard boxes."It's the intensity," defender Milos Kerkez said when asked to pinpoint what makes Iraola's brand of football so appealing. "He's not scared to play one-vs.-one all over the pitch, to press high and to be on the front foot always. If you see footage of how we all are after training, all lying down, then you can see what he is preparing us for. You definitely need legs and good condition for what he wants us to do, but we will be alright."Sources told ESPN that Kerkez -- who spent two seasons under Iraola at AFC Bournemouth before joining Liverpool last summer -- took on an impressive level of responsibility during training, as did his Hungary teammate Dominik Szoboszlai, whose leadership during the tour has marked him as the favourite to replace Andy Robertson (who joined Tottenham) as vice-captain.In the absence of some familiar faces, Szoboszlai quickly became the main attraction for supporters in the U.S. and after penning a new five-year contract last month, he looks poised to build on last season's accomplished individual campaign.Injury blow exposes defensive frailtiesThe first real setback for Iraola came in Nashville, when defender Joe Gomez suffered a muscle injury just eight minutes into Liverpool's first pre-season game against Sunderland at Geodis Park.With captain Virgil van Dijk granted an extended holiday, Gomez had travelled to the U.S. as one of the Reds' two fit senior center-back options alongside new signing Jrmy Jacquet, who officially joined the club in a �60 million ($79.5 million) move from Rennes this summer. Having missed the second half of last season with a shoulder injury, Jacquet was expected to feature in the U.S., but was ultimately not risked in any of Liverpool's three games after feeling some discomfort during training.Giovanni Leoni, who joined from Parma last summer, was also unavailable for selection as he continued his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Liverpool's paucity of first-team options meant it was mainly left to the young trio of Ndukwe, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Luke Chambers to deputize in central defense.All three players acquitted themselves well -- especially Ndukwe, who will go out on loan this season having not been able to acquire the necessary work permit to feature immediately at Anfield. However, with Ibrahima Konat having left to join Real Madrid on a free transfer and Gomez now set to be sidelined for around a month, Liverpool's need for experience at the back is glaring.The same is true at right back, which became a notoriously problematic position under Arne Slot last term.Conor Bradley is viewed as the long-term successor to Trent Alexander-Arnold (now of Real Madrid), but Iraola confirmed the 23-year-old is still "months" away from a return after suffering a serious knee injury in January. Jeremie Frimpong, who is yet to assert himself at Liverpool after joining from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, did well in the Reds' final game of the tour against Leeds United before being forced off in the second half. Iraola later said his withdrawal had been precautionary, but after suffering a string of muscle injuries last season, the Netherlands international still has a lot to prove.While there were positives to take from all three games -- a 4-2 victory over Sunderland, a 1-0 win against Wrexham and a 4-2 defeat to Leeds -- investment will be required to address Liverpool's obvious defensive frailties.Barcola pursuit ramps up as summer of change continuesIt is not only in defense where Liverpool would benefit from reinforcements. Much of this summer has been underscored by the club's pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, and sources told ESPN the Reds were preparing their first official bid last week.With his transfer reportedly valued at 150 million by PSG, sources told ESPN that Liverpool would seek to close a deal in the region of 115 million, with the France winger keen on a move to Anfield as he seeks more playing time. Should he join Iraola's side, Barcola would become Liverpool's second attacking signing of the summer following the 40 million arrival of Osasuna's Vctor Muoz, who will join up with the squad upon their return to Merseyside after winning the World Cup with Spain last month.Still, with Ekitike likely to be out until at least early 2027 (following his Achilles injury in April) and long-time talisman Mohamed Salah having left on a free transfer, Iraola would benefit from having more attacking options at his disposal. In some quarters, there has been particular concern about Liverpool's lack of a specialist on the right wing, and it was interesting that Iraola opted to play the prodigious Rio Ngumoha there in the Reds' 1-0 victory over Wrexham in New York."Any position -- right wing, left wing -- I just try my best especially on the ball just to beat my man as best as I can," Ngumoha told ESPN after the game. "Today obviously I was a bit rusty, but the more I keep learning in training and games, I'll definitely improve. To be adaptable is a skill that I need, definitely."Of course, Liverpool's attacking rebuild will partly be informed by departures, with the futures of Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott still uncertain. Both players endured difficult 2025-26 seasons -- with Elliott scarcely playing during his "mentally tough" loan spell at Aston Villa -- and both spoke during the tour about the potential for a fresh start under Iraola.Liverpool will also hope to more effectively harness the quality of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz this term, with the latter offering a snapshot of his abilities thanks to a well-taken goal against Leeds on Sunday. The pair arrived in the U.S. in time for the second week of the tour, alongside midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, and will be in line for more minutes in upcoming friendlies against Monaco and Como at Anfield.There has also been a sense of evolution behind the scenes over the past few weeks.Last month, Michael Edwards left his role as chief executive of football for Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG), while sporting director Richard Hughes has also been linked with an imminent move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. Hughes was spotted with the squad in New York last week, with FSG President Mike Gordon -- who is expected to take on a more active role in Liverpool's day-to-day operations following Edwards' departure -- in attendance for the defeat to Leeds in Chicago.During the tour, FSG confirmed in a statement that a consortium led by British-Indian millionaire businessman Amit Bhatia had expressed an interest in buying a minority stake in the club. While no agreement has yet been reached, the news only reinforced the feeling that this is a summer of significant change at Anfield in more ways than one.Starlet emerges amid stormy weatherIt wasn't all plain sailing for Liverpool in the U.S. and the Reds quite literally had to navigate some stormy weather ahead of their clash with Wrexham in New York.Adverse weather conditions prompted the cancellation of the team's flight from Chicago on the eve of the game, forcing players to withdraw from their public appearance at the launch of the club's away kit in Brooklyn. Club legends Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush stepped in to model the new jersey at the event, with the Empire State Building lit up red to mark the occasion.However, Liverpool encountered another tumultuous episode just 24 hours later, when midfielder Curtis Jones engaged in a public spat with Szoboszlai and defender Kostas Tsimikas on the pitch at Yankee Stadium. Jones' grievance appeared to be with Szoboszlai's decision to hand the captain's armband to Tsimikas rather than him when the Hungary international was substituted in the second half.While this type of disagreement is commonplace in elite football dressing rooms, the fact that it unfolded in the public eye only served to ramp up the uncertainty surrounding Jones' future. The 25-year-old grew frustrated under Slot last season, and while Iraola last month voiced his desire to keep Jones at Anfield, sources told ESPN that Serie A champions Inter Milan have recently reignited their interest in the player, who is out of contract next summer.Regardless of how the saga unfolds, the fraught scene at Yankee Stadium offered a reminder that this role will be a stern test of Iraola's man-management skills as well as his coaching ability.The new Liverpool boss spoke earlier in the tour about his preference for remaining calm, rather than taking his frustrations out on his players. His predecessor took a similar approach, with one source telling ESPN that Slot was arguably too lenient on his squad amid their dismal run of performances last season. Iraola may find he has to strike a balance between being firm and fair if he is to get Liverpool back on track.On the pitch, Jones' potential departure could be offset by the emergence of Nyoni, who has been the real success story of this tour. Having started just two Carabao Cup ties under Slot last season, making a further 12 appearances in all competitions as a substitute, the 19-year-old impressed in all three games in the U.S. and looks ready to become a more regular feature in Liverpool's midfield this term."Over the summer, I knew I had a lot to improve so I've tried to work on it over the summer and come back and give myself the best chance possible this preseason," Nyoni told club media after Sunday's match at Chicago's Soldier Field. "But obviously, I still need to keep improving."Indeed, that message should extend to all members of the Liverpool squad. Iraola's first preseason tour with the club may now be behind him, but for him and his players, the hard work is only just beginning.
