Eiraola discusses Gakpo's stay and reveals injury updates

Andoni Iraola, Liverpool's head coach, has revealed several important details ahead of the match against Ipswich, discussing Cody Gakpo's continued presence in the team following the closure of the transfer market, the development of Rio Ngumoha, as well as the situation of the injured players and the versatility of Dominik Szoboszlai and Bradley Barcola.

Regarding Cody Gakpo's continued presence with the team, Iraola said: "Cody is a very smart player. My relationship with him has been honest from the beginning. He has performed well with us in all the pre-season matches and all the games; he scored in the first match and assisted in the next one. He was fully aware of his situation in the transfer market, and we were constantly talking to each other about it. He has trained very well, and I hope we can maintain the same level. He is in good shape physically and mentally. I am happy that Cody is staying because he is an important and valuable player for us."

Andoni Iraola discussed Rio Ngumoha, emphasizing the young player's need to develop in the right winger position despite his preferred position being on the left: "We know that Rio's preferred position is on the left, but he also needs to develop on the right to have more options to play. He is very young, but because he did not perform exceptionally in the first match on the right, we cannot say he will not play there again. It may take more time; I have no news on my side regarding the renewal of his contract."

Víctor Muñoz has played more matches in his career on the left, but he might be even better on the right. Sometimes it comes down to the relationship and harmony a player creates with those around him; we trust the wingers we have, and we will need all of them. Rio, who just turned eighteen, already looks like a player in the Premier League, and that's because he is a very good player.

Liverpool manager has revealed the latest on injured players, stating: "The closest to returning is Joe Gomez. He is likely to start training with us next week. His recovery has gone normally, and I hope we can have him back before the break, and I think the next player is Giovani, who may start training with the group during the break. As for Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitiké in particular, they will return later."

Iraola spoke about the lack the team is experiencing in some positions due to injuries, saying: "The challenge for the team now is that we, for example, do not have Conor Bradley or Joe Gomez. If you take players from each position, we will always look like we are lacking in some areas. We are in this situation now, and that is why I appreciate Dominik Szoboszlai, because he can play at right-back. This versatility in players helps us get through periods of the season when we are suffering from injuries. In midfield, we have a good number of players, now it is about making the right decisions on my part. I am looking for the best combinations, and we will go through a period in the next two weeks where we will have a lot of matches. We will have the opportunity to see the options we have and the combinations available to us. In the end, it is about training and technical work."

And about Szoboszlai's versatility and ability to play in multiple positions, Iraola said: "Since I started working, I've talked to many players about the positions they prefer to play in. I haven't found a single case where a player said they didn't want to play here or there; everyone has shown the right mentality. I know pretty much the positions they prefer to play in. We have discussions, but everyone is ready to help. If we need to deploy Szoboszlai as a right winger or right-back or left-back, I think he's ready for that. He wants to help the team first."

He confirmed: "It's good to have players who can cover different positions. We have some injuries now, and we need the versatility of players like Dominik Szoboszlai. This flexibility is valuable, as players may have to change positions even during the match."

Regarding attacking options and the versatility of wingers, Iraola said: "I think we ultimately preferred to have the best players rather than signing someone just to cover a specific position. I am used to asking all wingers to play on both sides. I know that each player usually has their preferred position, but we played Víctor Muñoz, Cody Gakpo, and Rio Ngumoha on the right side during the preparation and competitive periods. I think they played more on the left side, and perhaps Rio is more specialized in playing on the left, but I believe he has the desire to develop and play on the right side. Even Bradley Barcola, I think he is very open and can play on both the right and left. He started on the right side when he began his career with Lyon, and it will depend on the matchups and the nature of the game."

Iraola concluded his statements by saying: "I am happy with the wingers we have in these positions."