Andoni Iraola must unlock $593M transfer value as first Liverpool test
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New Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has a huge task on his hands to get the team competing at the very top once again, with the head coach needing to get the true transfer value out of his team.Andoni Iraola has a task to unlock Liverpool's true transfer value this summer(Image: (Photo by Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images))All eyes are naturally on Liverpool's transfer business this summer, with some hope that the Reds can bolster the team to give Andoni Iraola the best chance of success possible.So far, it's been a slow window on Merseyside, with only two signings making their way to Anfield, as Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz join the club to bolster the defence and attack.There is some expectation that Liverpool will add a winger before the market comes to a close, with talks underway to sign Bradley Barcola from PSG.Meanwhile, a midfielder and a right-sided defender are also on the radar, if the Reds can find the budget to add some depth to those key areas of the team in the coming weeks.While it may not be the overhaul many were hoping for when the season came to an end, it's a realistic position for the club to be in after the previous summer transfer window.Liverpool spent a Premier League record of $593 million on players in 2025, a transfer window that appeared to only strengthen a team that had already won the division the year prior.However, that never came to fruition, and instead the Reds were left scrambling around for the final Champions League qualification place late in the season.Considering those struggles, it's clear that Iraola's task isn't just to get new players through the door who want to play in his style of team, but to get the best out of a crop of signings from last summer that never quite hit the heights.Andoni Iraola is bringing about plenty of changes at Liverpool(Image: (Photo by Andrew J.
Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images))There is $593 million worth of talent there for the manager to work with, though his time at Bournemouth showed that he is capable of making the most out of his options, regardless of whether he wanted the moves or not.There will be a wait for Hugo Ekitike to get involved, with the striker still recovering from a serious foot injury, with an expectation that he will return around November or December.That means an increased reliance on Alexander Isak, who struggled with a lack of pre-season last campaign, before a broken leg interrupted his progress on getting back to full fitness.At his best, Isak would be well worth the league-record fee paid for him, and it's up to Iraola to extract that full value out of him in the coming season.Similar can be said of Florian Wirtz, who failed to live up the hype that came with his transfer to Anfield. Liverpool paid a lot to seal a move for the Bayer Leverkusen and Germany star, but he only ended the season with seven goals and ten assists.There were some moments of class in his displays, which certainly suggested that he has plenty to bring to the team moving forward, and a second season in the Premier League with a new style could bring that out of him.The full-backs remain a key area of consideration too, with Milos Kerkez yet to really cement his place on the left flank, but with previous experience playing under Iraola, he could get back to his very best.Jeremie Frimpong has struggled since joining Liverpool, but with the right-back position wide open, it's his chance to make the role his for the foreseeable future.While there is some understandable focus on what the Reds can do this summer, it's last summer's deals that Iraola will be tasked with unlocking to get the full potential out of his team.