Andoni Iraola has admitted that Liverpool must find a way to replace injured right-backs Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni, as well as forward Hugo Ekitike, before their returns. The admission leaves the club with no alternative but to sign a right-back this summer, despite other pressing issues in the squad.
Iraola's First Press Conference Reveals Injury Crisis
During his first-ever press conference as Liverpool head coach, Iraola outlined the extent of the injury problems. He said: "I think we have to accept there are difficult situations right now in terms of both sides, a lot of senior players leaving, players who have achieved everything here and also some important players injured. Ekitike, Bradley, Leoni, long injuries. So we have to replace important players making good numbers and those three injuries that will miss some time, we have to find a way to replace them."
Bradley suffered a serious knee injury against Arsenal on January 9, 2026, ending his season after just 15 Premier League appearances. Leoni is also sidelined long-term, leaving Jeremie Frimpong as the only specialist right-back available.
Defensive Depth Concerns
The right-back crisis is compounded by the departures of Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson, leaving Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez as the only senior centre-backs alongside new signing Jeremy Jacquet, who cost £60 million but is unproven in the Premier League. At left-back, Milos Kerkez faces little competition, though Kostas Tsimikas could return from a loan at AS Roma.
Last season, Arne Slot used seven different right-backs, almost half of whom were midfielders, due to injuries to Bradley and Frimpong. Iraola is keen to avoid a repeat, but the club's financial constraints may limit spending on a position that will be less of a problem once Bradley returns.
Transfer Options and Constraints
One option is to sign a defender capable of playing both right-back and centre-back, but that may not provide the fast, hard-working full-back Iraola favoured at Bournemouth, where he turned Milos Kerkez into one of the players of the season in 2024-25. Another possibility is for Iraola to use his player-development track record to polish a lesser-known talent.
However, FSG is unlikely to spend heavily on a right-back when other areas, such as replacing Mohamed Salah's goals, require significant investment. The club cannot afford to continue using midfielders as emergency full-backs, which disrupts the balance of the engine room.
Bradley's Future and Immediate Needs
Bradley remains a potential future captain for Liverpool, but his injury record means availability cannot be taken for granted. With the Premier League season starting next month, someone else will likely get the chance to stamp their authority on the right-back berth. Iraola must act decisively to avoid defensive vulnerability, with the club's depth seriously lacking.
