Andoni Iraola has held his first press conference as Liverpool manager, addressing the futures of Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones amid transfer speculation. The Basque coach, who replaced Arne Slot after Liverpool slumped to fifth in the Premier League last season, also saw Alexis Mac Allister comment on a potential move for Mexican teenager Gilberto Mora.
Iraola Backs Harvey Elliott After Difficult Loan Spell
Iraola praised Elliott's early arrival for pre-season and believes the 23-year-old can bounce back from a frustrating loan at Aston Villa. The attacking midfielder made only nine appearances for Villa, falling short of the 10 required to trigger a £35m obligation to buy. Elliott had been a regular under Jurgen Klopp but saw his opportunities dwindle under Slot.
“Definitely! Harvey is here with us,” Iraola told reporters. “I have seen him with the eagerness to show up, get super ready, he’ll have a chance in pre-season, we’ll need him and it’s a good sign. I hope we can see him in a good place. I think Harvey comes from last season had to be difficult for him, strange situation, they couldn’t even play him and I think he uses this experience - the bad situation - to make himself even more eager to be a Liverpool player.”
Curtis Jones Future in Doubt Amid Inter Milan Interest
Iraola confirmed he will speak to Curtis Jones about his future and hopes the homegrown midfielder stays despite two rejected bids from Inter Milan. The Italian club's offers fell below Liverpool's £35m valuation for the 25-year-old, who is in the final year of his contract and made only 18 league starts last season, often at right-back.
“I will have the chance to speak with him today,” Iraola said. “I rate Curtis very highly. For me he is a great, great player and I hope he can continue with us and continue performing the way he has been performing. It’s very important that he’s Scouse, that he’s from here. I also like the personality. From the outside at least he looks like a player with good character and I hope we can keep him, not only for this year but for more time.”
Alexis Mac Allister Comments on Gilberto Mora
Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister spoke to Mexico's Claro Sports about the club's link to 17-year-old Tijuana star Gilberto Mora, who impressed at the World Cup. Mora has a release clause of approximately $20m (£15m) after extending his contract until 2029.
“Honestly, I didn’t see anything about it,” Mac Allister said. “When these things happen, you’re always careful what you say, out of respect for the player and the club he belongs to. But if they’re mentioning him as a possible Liverpool player, he’s surely a great player. There’s a reason they’re mentioning him.”
Mora's agent, Rafaela Pimenta, earlier stated: “We’re in no rush, but he’s developing quickly. We need to study the ideal place for him to develop. At this age, you can’t be the best on your team. If you’re the best, you have to move to a higher-level team. At this age, you shouldn’t be the leader; you have to be the kid who looks at the others and says, ‘I have to be like them.’ I’m going to do everything I can to sell Gilberto for a high price.”
