Liverpool transfer clock is ticking and there are still a lot more questions than answers

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Victor Munoz remains Liverpool's most recent signing despite links with numerous players, and there still questions over the futures of several figures at AnfieldIt's now just under three weeks until the Premier League season begins for Andoni Iraola at Liverpool and progress on incomings so far appears incremental.After Victor Munoz was swiftly added to the agreement for Jeremy Jacquet in June, Liverpool's window has been a slow-burner.The Reds moved for Spain international Munoz by triggering his £34.5m release clause at Osasuna just as Newcastle United thought they were closing in on a deal, while Jacquet officially became a Liverpool player at the start of July after his £60m agreement was struck late in the winter window.Since then, the profile of player sporting director Richard Hughes and Iraola have been assessing is a winger, and the head coach has made little secret of that in his dealings with the media so far.On a handful of occasions, Iraola has outlined the need for a wide player this summer following Mohamed Salah's exit. This week brought at least some positive news with the update that Bradley Barcola is receptive to a move to Anfield.Liverpool are preparing their opening gambit to Paris Saint-Germain for the France international but for a player who is rated at £140m by his current club, some drawn-out negotiations could be in the offing.Unsurprisingly, that is not what many supporters want to hear but when deals of that level are thrashed out, they are rarely executed cleanly and quickly.Liverpool, for example, made their opening offer for Alexander Isak on this date - August 1 - 12 months ago and had to wait until September 1 before the tedious saga reached its conclusion at a British record £125m.The deal for Florian Wirtz with Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the window also took some time, with Hughes locked in negotiations with his German counterpart Simon Rolfes for weeks before the attacking midfielder arrived at £116m.Clearly, then, these sorts of transfers aren't cut and dried over the course of a weekend but the wider need for additions and reinforcements has not abated during the club's pre-season tour of the United States.

If anything, they have been exacerbated by the injury to Joe Gomez, who is set to miss around a month with a muscle injury.Liverpool have just Virgil van Dijk and Jacquet a available as senior centre-backs as things stand for that game and the new arrival hasn't kicked a ball since a season-ending shoulder injury in February.While Iraola spoke positively about his surprise at how many youngsters have grasped the nettle Stateside, Liverpool's squad still looks somewhat short of being able to properly compete at the sharp end of the Premier League right now.Barcola aside, transfer talk of late has mainly revolved around potential departures with Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa both responding to questions on their own future during the tour of America.Reports that Inter have renewed their push to sign Curtis Jones have resurfaced this week. The sporting director is on the tour of the States with his colleagues as efforts continue behind the scenes.The speed at which Liverpool executed their move for Munoz last month at least serves as encouragement given that attention is needed in a number of areas.But it cannot be claimed that the club are operating from the same position of power they held this time last year when they were champions of England and aggressively and proactively flexing their financial muscle in the market by signing a host of big names.With just over three weeks until the big kick-off at St James' Park, a Liverpool side that is looking to wash away last season's problems looks nowhere near equipped for the rigours of the campaign right now.

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