The transfer window is entering a crucial phase, and the decisions Richard Hughes makes over the coming weeks could have a major impact on how his time at Liverpool is ultimately judged.
At this point, there is little room for excuses. If Liverpool fail to bring in several important reinforcements before the window closes, scrutiny of Hughes’ work as sporting director will inevitably increase.
Ambitious plans and difficult decisions only count for so much if Andoni Iraola is left to begin his first season with a squad that still has obvious weaknesses in several areas.
For now, Victor Munoz remains Liverpool’s only senior signing. The Spaniard has plenty of qualities to be excited about, including his pace, physical ability and technical skill, and he could develop into an excellent player. However, expecting one arrival to solve the numerous problems within the squad would be unrealistic.
Liverpool’s issues are spread across multiple positions, and the increasing number of injuries has made the situation even more worrying.
Rather than beginning the new campaign with strong competition for places and a wide range of options, Iraola is currently waiting for injured players to return simply to have enough senior players available. It is far from the ideal start to a new era.
The defensive situation is particularly concerning.
Jeremy Jacquet was brought in as one of Liverpool’s most exciting young defensive prospects, but supporters are still waiting to see him properly involved. The Frenchman has not yet returned to full training and was absent against AS Monaco, raising serious doubts about whether he will be fit for the Premier League opener against Newcastle United.
Joe Gomez is another major concern. His latest injury problem ended his pre-season after only eight minutes, and he is now expected to miss the opening weeks of the season.
Giovanni Leoni is also unavailable as he continues his recovery from a serious ACL injury, with his return not expected until September. That leaves Iraola with very limited experienced options at centre-back.
Virgil van Dijk currently appears to be the only guaranteed starter for the opening game, which raises the obvious question: who will partner him?
Liverpool will hope Jacquet can recover in time, but there is no certainty that he will be ready. If he remains unavailable, Iraola’s options become extremely limited.
Mor Talla Ndiaye is regarded as one of the club’s promising young defenders and has considerable potential, but asking him to make his Premier League debut against Newcastle in these circumstances would represent a significant risk.
Ifeanyi Ndukwe is not currently available either, as he is still waiting to obtain the necessary work permit.
All of this leaves Iraola facing an uncomfortable situation before he has even managed his first competitive match for the club.
However, Liverpool appear to be moving quickly to address the problem. Reports suggest the Reds are edging closer to a deal for Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo.
The Uruguay international brings considerable experience, having made more than 300 competitive appearances for Barcelona and previously worn the captain’s armband for the Spanish giants.
The growing belief that the transfer could be close has been strengthened by the sighting of Araujo’s agent, Edoardo Crnjar, at Anfield alongside Richard Hughes.
Sky Sports cameras reportedly captured Crnjar walking with Hughes through the mixed zone while Florian Wirtz was speaking to reporters.
The development could be a major indication that Liverpool are now closing in on another important signing.
