Liverpool

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We asked for your views on how important it was to tie Dominik Szoboszlai down to a new deal and what role the midfielder will play under new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola.

Here are some of your comments:

Colin: Stay in midfield, not right-back and encourage him to eventually become captain.

Nnamugala: Very important player. Love to see him and Florian Wirtz together in a midfield. How balanced it'll be with both, I cannot imagine. Very good player. Doesn't give up, not only in his words, but also on the pitch.

Paul: Future club captain!

Ike: We have been losing too many players recently. He was the best player for us last season, so it's great news!

Ibs: I want to see Szoboszlai play in the attacking midfield role and not hampered by playing right-back. I want to see Alexis Mac Allister step up for us again like he has for Argentina. I also want to see our forward line play with more freedom - there's no more worry now about having to feed Salah. And I want to see Harvey Elliott back and given a chance to show off his natural creative skills.

Andrew: Club captain! We have had and need leaders in all areas of the field, but midfield is crucial. No offence to Virgil van Dijk, but moving the captaincy to Szoboszlai would enable Virgil to focus on defence, developing the new players around him.

Keith: Captain, obviously. Enough said. He's a playmaker, he's intelligent and he has energy, skill and passion.

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Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai has said he wants "to set the example" after signing a new five-year contract at Anfield.

The 25-year-old was entering the final two years of his previous deal, having joined from RB Leipzig for £60m in 2023.

"When I signed, I said I want to win everything. That didn't change for a little moment either. It stayed the same," the Hungarian told club media.

"I want to win everything that is possible in this country - also, let's say the Champions League. I'm ready to go for it."

Szoboszlai was the standout performer in a disappointing 2025-26 campaign for the Reds, scoring 13 goals and providing 12 assists.

"There's always more to come. I'm never happy," added the midfielder. "I want to set the example. I want to be an example also for everyone, as much as I can."

On signing his new deal, he added: "It's maybe my biggest day. There are a couple in front of it – probably when I signed for Liverpool the first time and when I got my baby, of course. But in my football career, I can say this is in the top three.

"[I] can't wait to go again and again and again. I'm just happy to be here."

So, how important was it for Liverpool to tie up Szoboszlai's future and what will his role be in the side for under Andoni Iraola this season?

Send us your comments here

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With pre-season officially in full swing, we asked you to tell us what you're looking forward to about club football returning.

Here are some of your replies:

Scudgie: Whether Andoni Iraola adopts his intelligent pressing and attack-minded football. I wouldn't have been able to cope with another season of Arne Slot's negativity.

Mary: Seeing the boys walk out every week in our resplendent kit. I always think we can win every game so there's that level of excitement built in.

Stephen: I would like to see us win another Premier League this season, but if not - and, being greedy, maybe both - I would love us to win another Champions League. Beating Borussia Monchengladbach in 1977 when I was a 10-year-old is still my favourite Liverpool moment!

Andrew: Plain and simple - meeting in the Abbey before (and after) the Nottingham Forest game and catching up with everyone with a sniff of optimism in the air for the new season ahead. Going to the match is so much more than just 'going to the match'.

Jack: As a Liverpool fan, I think I speak for all of us when I say change is the one thing we're looking forward to. I have massive respect for Slot for winning us the league title and then leading us through the massive tragedy of losing Diogo Jota. But the fact of the matter is our football style was abysmal last season, the signings we made did not adapt well to his system and that is why they struggled so much. I hope Iraola can get the team ticking and players who need minutes - like Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott and even Rio Ngumoha - can get more and grow and develop.

Mark: The key thing I'm looking forward to is watching the side be more attacking and closing down quicker. The new gaffer has a similar style of play to Jurgen Klopp, so really hope we start and end the season fast - if not even faster.

Nik: Watching football that is actually enjoyable to watch. Win or lose, I just want to see identity, passion and a playing style we can all get behind.

Liverpoolare leading the race to sign Japan midfielder Kaishu Sano from Mainz and are prepared to offer up to 60m euros (£50.9m) for the 25-year-old, who has also attracted interest from Arsenal,Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund.(Teamtalk), external

Liverpool have asked Bournemouth about 19-year-old winger Rayan as they aim to reunite the Brazilian with former head coach Andoni Iraola. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

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For all the talk about new signings - of which Liverpool will certainly make more this transfer window - Dominik Szoboszlai's new contract will be one of the most important deals of the lot in Andoni Iraola's first summer at Anfield.

Szoboszlai is a brilliant footballer and Liverpool see him as a future leader.

With the dressing room losing the likes of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate this summer - and Alisson and Virgil van Dijk's contracts expiring in 12 months, Szoboszlai's long-term commitment is a massive boost for the club.

Liverpool had a forgettable 2025-26 but the Hungarian was named as their player of the season after a stellar individual campaign. At various times, his leadership qualities were praised by then head coach Arne Slot too.

Asked if Szoboszlai has the attributes to be a future leader, Slot said: "Yes, but he is still young. He has a lot of attributes already, especially when it comes to leading by example. There is still a step to make in terms of leadership, being vocal and a voice in the dressing room if I compare him to Virgil, which is completely normal.

"Virgil is 34 and has seen [James] Milner, [Jordan] Henderson and these players, so it's really good for Dominik that he sees Virgil. That would be the next step for him - to be as vocal and as loud as Virgil, but that comes with time.

"For all the other things, he has a lot to become a very influential player for Liverpool and you could call that a leader."

Go back to 2023 when Szoboszlai signed for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp. Klopp's verdict then was that "this is a signing for our present and also for our future."

Szoboszlai will now be at Anfield for the foreseeable future.

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai is set to sign a new long-term contract at Anfield.

The Hungary international, who has two years left on his current deal, is expected to end speculation surrounding his future by putting pen to paper on a deal after months of months of negotiations between Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and Szoboszlai's camp.

The 25-year-old signed for Liverpool from RB Leipzig for £60m in 2023 and was the standout performer for the Reds last season, scoring 13 goals and providing 12 assists.

In February, Mohamed Salah described Szoboszlai as "one of the best players in the world."

With Andy Robertson leaving Anfield this summer, Liverpool need to appoint a new vice-captain and, once his future is sorted, Szoboszlai will be a strong contender to take up that role.

"Obviously he has been very good [this season]," said Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk last season. "He's also a player who I think can still make the next step in terms of being a leader for this team. It starts by leading by example and that's something he has done so far this season.

"There is still progress to be made and that's a good thing, in my opinion, so hopefully he will be very important for the years to come at Liverpool."

Szoboszlai returned to Merseyside on Tuesday for pre-season training and will be part of Liverpool's touring party when they travel to The United States for their pre-season tour next week.

The World Cup has done a fantastic job of filling the Premier League void, but there is nothing quite like club football.

As the tournament in North America heads towards its climax and England supporters' disappointment sinks in, there is a Liverpool fanbase waiting for the 2026-27 season with anticipation.

So, it has got us thinking: what are you looking forward to most about club football resuming?

Get in touch here

The 10th episode of BBC Radio Merseyside's A to Z of Liverpool focuses on the letter J - David James, Joey Jones, David Johnson and the late Diogo Jota.

"Jota was a hero wasn't he?" Phil Munns said on the latest show.

"Quite often he was a player who would have an impact off the bench a lot of the time, and he had his song which gets belted out quite a lot now.

"It's still hard to sink in the fact that he's gone."

Jota spent five years with the Reds, scoring 65 goals and winning four trophies before he tragically died in a road accident in July 2025.

He is immortalised in Liverpool history for the big moments he produced at Anfield; not least of which was his final goal for the club when he netted the winning strike in the Merseyside derby against Everton.

"He was so unpredictable in the way he made that run and even in the way he slotted it in because Jordan Pickford had dived out of the way and he managed to just put it down the middle," Munns added.

"But he was a big player for the big occasion. If things weren't going right you had Jota there who you knew could pick a way through any defence."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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We asked you which players you have watched at the World Cup that you think would be a great fit at Liverpool.

Here are some of your comments:

Peter: A bit left-field here, but Brian Cipenga of DR Congo. He scored against England, looked full of energy and lively, and he was a real handful. England's Premier League quality defenders found him difficult to handle. Yes it's only one game, but he has been pretty good the whole tournament. He plays for Almeria in the second division in Spain so he could be a relatively cheap signing. At 28-years-old, he's in his prime and could do a job coming off the bench.

Mark: Johan Manzambi of Freiburg and Switzerland would be a good addition to Liverpool's midfield and squad. He has speed and vision, plus he creates scoring opportunities.

Andy: Manzambi, the young Swiss attacking midfielder, has caught my eye during the World Cup. He can score goals, assist others and he looks fearless when running at defences. He is the right age to improve even more too.

Samers: Bradley Barcola has showed so much composure off the bench for France. I also think Netherlands' Crysencio Summerville is very skilful. I would also like to see Kim Min-jae of South Korea, who is composed, strong and very underrated.

Chris: Liverpool should sort the centre-back position out now before others grab the players we want. Dayot Upamecano of France would be my choice, but there's slim chance of that. We 100% need someone of real quality. Summerville from West Ham would also be a solid buy. Maybe Marcus Rashford would work?

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It seems a long time ago now, but go back to the day that Liverpool sealed the Premier League title under Arne Slot in 2025 and there is a lovely clip of Alexis Mac Allister.

As the final whistle goes and the players run on to the pitch to celebrate, Mac Allister sits alone on the bench and starts to cry, external. He was undeniably a force that season and integral to Liverpool's title-winning campaign.

But a year on, after a disappointing campaign that wasn't helped by injury problems at the outset, Mac Allister would be the first to admit that the 2025-26 season fell below the standards he had set previously.

The Argentina international is still on the five-year deal he signed when he arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2023, so he still has two seasons left on his contract, but it is worth noting that currently there are no talks over a new deal and he is not in active talks with another club.

When you consider that Dominik Szoboszlai - whose contract also ends in 2028 - is in talks over a new deal, the expectation is that movement on that front for Mac Allister would be expected over the course of the next season.

If those talks aren't planned, then it would make sense if Liverpool considered offers this summer. But, in a market in which the value of midfielders is rising and rising, that would be a big call - similar to when Liverpool let Luis Diaz leave for Bayern Munich last summer.

Mac Allister was so close to Jurgen Klopp that his Liverpool team-mates would often joke that Klopp was like his dad. You only have to see the clip of the pair hugging at the World Cup and Mac Allister giving him his shirt to see the warmth between the pair.

He described Arne Slot as the "perfect bridge" after Klopp left, crediting the Dutchman's support for him off the pitch too.

"It's not just football. This is not just a club - it's our family, it's our memories, it's our legacy... and we have to cherish it, because we don't know how long it will last," Mac Allister told The Players' Tribune, external in August 2025.

Crucial to his next steps will be his relationship with Andoni Iraola and whether the Spaniard can get the best out of Mac Allister. Both parties will be hoping that last season was merely a blip and more memories are going to be made.

Read the full article here

Liverpoolhave made fresh contact with Paris St-Germain over a potential summer move for France forward Bradley Barcola, 23. (TeamTalk), external

The Reds have also dismissed a new approach for Curtis Jones, with Inter Milan's improved bid of about £27m falling short of their £30m asking price for the 25-year-old England midfielder. (Talksport), external

Read more of Wednesday's gossip here

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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We asked for your views on which players you're most excited to see in action during pre-season.

Here are some of your comments:

Ray: Kieran Morrison scored goals for fun in the reserves, yet last season was made to sit week after week on the bench, and was not even given game time when we were 4-0 down to Manchester City with a few minutes left.

Jack: Cannot wait to see Rio Ngumoha back in action after making his England debut. Also, excited for Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz to show what they will bring to Liverpool. And, obviously, interested as well to see how Andoni Iraola starts to get his team to play and who he favours - whether players like Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa get minutes they missed out on under Arne Slot. If Iraola can get the team to click, we are in for a promising season.

Keagan: I'm going to the game against Sunderland in Nashville. Not expecting much but hope to see Dominik Szoboszlai, Milos Kerkez, Ngumoha and a couple of the new faces. Just hope the team are up for it and it's not a flat game.

John Paul: Stefan Bajcetic is that player I'm dying to see back. Very calm on the ball, reads the game excellently, recycles well. Marvellous player. Should he remain fit, he can be intrinsic for LFC.

Kev: I'd like to see Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni compete with Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk for the centre-half positions. Also, I would like to see Will Wright involved with the first-team squad all season, along with Rio. Wright deserves his chance.

ESPN's Liverpool correspondent Beth Lindop believes Andoni Iraola "said a lot of the right things" in his first news conference as head coach, but added that there will be "plenty of twists, turns and difficulties" for the Spaniard to navigate at Anfield.

The Reds boss outlined his plan for "intense and aggressive" football, admitted there is work to be done in the transfer window and confirmed that Harvey Elliott will be "given a chance" in pre-season.

"He came across really well," Lindop told BBC Radio Merseyside. "Just to give an idea of how big this occasion was, I got to the training ground about half an hour before the news conference and there was no room in the car park.

"It is going to be a step up in terms of the scrutiny - and, importantly, he acknowledged that. He hit all the right notes.

"We know that towards the end of last season there was a debate over the level of connection Arne Slot had with Liverpool - as a club and as a city - but Andoni Iraola was quite pointed on it.

"He wants to forge that connection and not just be in his own bubble. He even spoke about wanting to go out into the city, which will probably be easier said than done once the season gets under way.

"I enjoyed when he said that he is probably going to say the wrong thing at times and make some mistakes because that is only natural. He is a young coach so there will be things he has to learn.

"When you come up against adversity, that's when you really begin to see what you are made of as a coach. I'm sure there will be plenty of twists, turns and difficulties that he will have to navigate but, for the time being, he has said a lot of the right things."

Listen to the full conversation above or listen on BBC Sounds

Roma have rejected an offer of 40m euros from Atletico Madrid for 25-year-old France midfielder Manu Kone, who is also a target for Liverpool and Manchester United. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external

Meanwhile, Thomas Schjelderup's performances for Norway at the World Cup have increased Benfica's asking price for the 22-year-old winger to £43m, with the Reds, Chelsea and Tottenham all interested in him. (A Bola - in Portuguese), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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When the World Cup ends, regardless of who wins, we'll still have loads of great content every day as we build up to the new Premier League season.

We're already working on some exciting new things for 2026-27.

As well as all the fallout and reaction to the tournament, we'll quickly shift back towards club football, with pre-season coverage and all the latest transfer gossip and stories.

BBC Sport and teams across BBC Nations and Regions cover all 20 Premier League sides and we have dedicated club reporters, who will be travelling to bring you behind-the-scenes insights from pre-season tours.

We'll also have live pages for selected pre-season matches, as well as in-depth features and storytelling, giving you the latest updates before the new campaign.

Once the World Cup ends, some of the standout players will be hot property in the transfer market, with top clubs chasing their signatures.

Our reporters, including senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel, will be breaking the big transfer stories on our website and app.

We'll also have our daily transfer gossip column, wrapping up all the rumours from across the football world.

For fans of World Cup Predictor, a new weekly game will be launching immediately after the tournament, with five fixtures a week to predict the outcomes of. You'll be able to build up your streaks and share your results with friends and family.

Our quizzes will also continue to be available to play so you can test your knowledge of the beautiful game.

Our new Shorts tab in the BBC Sport app will be the home of sport videos with content throughout the week from your club, including explainers, pundit analysis, interviews and behind-the-scenes content. We'll also be starting to include more reaction from fans so you can see the latest hot takes and debate the biggest talking points from your club.

Live pages are going to get bigger and better with more interactive elements, more conversation and improved functionality. They'll have BBC Radio 5 Live audio commentaries for the Premier League and Champions League, as well as live video for FA Cup.

Remember, the best way to get all of this content is to download the BBC Sport app and follow your favourite teams and sports using the My Sport tab.

Once you've set this up, you'll have quick access to those pages at the top of your Home tab and we'll be able to serve you better, more personalised, experiences in future.

And when following your Premier League team, from the start of the 2026-27 season you'll also get Live Notifications, which give you score updates directly on your phone's lock screen during a match.

Read more about what content you can expect here

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We asked for your views on Andoni Iraola's first news conference as Liverpool head coach, which took place on Monday.

Here are some of your comments:

Frank: At least the new coach knows what he wants from the team. Now it's up to the players to respond to the demands - after all, that's what he and they are paid for. It's a new brush. Let's have a different approach from all concerned.

Macca: Hope springs eternal.

Chris: I am very grateful for everything Arne Slot did for Liverpool, but by the end of last season I wasn't looking forward at all to this season. I am now and I feel Iraola will get the best out of the players we have. Hopefully we'll be back challenging again.

Robert: I like him already!

Leigh: Need to start bringing in those new signings now. The World Cup is nearly finished so can't use that as an excuse for not signing players any more. A defensive midfielder has been needed since Fabinho left. New manager can then really start to show his best abilities. Hope he can deliver the football he had with Bournemouth. If he does, fans will give him time to bring the results.

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Outside the AXA Training Centre on a sunny morning, a dozen or so photographers lined up to take pictures of Andoni Iraola before the Spaniard completed a couple of television interviews.

Then it was time for the news conference. It was far from a full house inside the room - understandably so, given we are in the final week of the World Cup - but it was certainly busier than usual and a world away from what Iraola would be used to at Bournemouth.

Iraola impressed, speaking passionately about his readiness for the challenge and his eagerness to understand the city and this unique football club.

There was a shyness about his manner and that, added to his relatively quiet tone of voice, meant it was no blockbuster news conference, such as when Jurgen Klopp was unveiled.

Iraola was reticent to open up when asked to describe his character and personality, though he did say he would try to be as natural as possible. His ability as a coach is not in much doubt, but whether he thrives as the figurehead for Liverpool remains to be seen.

While he was introspective when asked about himself, his answers flowed when invited to discuss his teams' style and principles of play.

His comfort in talking about "playing vertically and with a high press" is entirely in line with someone known to be at home on the training ground rather than in front of a microphone.

The question is how quickly he can translate his philosophy - based on high-intensity running - to a squad that struggled physically last season and requires additions.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media for the first time since his appointment.

Here are the key lines from Monday's news conference:

• The Spaniard wants to give supporters "a team they can be proud of" and he plans to do that by being a side "that works hard, is intense, is aggressive, so everyone can be identified and everyone can feel comfortable supporting this team".

• Iraola acknowledged there is more transfer business to be done and said "the club is working hard" to bring in more players.

• On the current squad: "A lot of senior and very important players are leaving and some very important players are injured. We need to replace very important players."

• Iraola confirmed Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are expected to be sidelined through injury for the beginning of the season. He added: "There will be a period where we will be without them so we will have to try to find solutions."

• On Harvey Elliott's future at Liverpool: "Harvey is here with us. I've seen him with this eagerness to show himself. He will have a chance during pre-season. He came one week earlier and I hope we can see him in a good place. Last season had to have been very difficult for him as it was a strange situation that meant they [Aston Villa] couldn't let him play."

• Iraola has had "very good conversations" with all the players who are at the World Cup and he is using these first couple of weeks "to talk to a lot of people who work around" the training ground. He added: "They are the ones helping me to create a good environment so our players can perform and maximise their abilities."

• Some players have returned to training before their scheduled date and Iraola said the "progressive introduction" of those returning from the World Cup will allow him to "get more in touch with every player".

• On what he hopes to be like as the Liverpool head coach: "I will try to be the same coach. You have to be yourself and I will try to be. Especially with the players, I know we will have big personalities and big egos, but I will try not to change with them. I will try to be as natural as possible. If they sign me, it's because they want a lot of the things I've been doing before."

• On adapting to a busier schedule than was the case at Bournemouth, who played 40 fixtures last season: "It is a big challenge for me. It will be a big change but a great opportunity."

What do you make of what Iraola had to say in his first news conference? What stands out to you the most?

Get in touch with your views here

Listen to more from Iraola on BBC Sounds

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Andoni Iraola will speak to the external media on Monday for the first time since becoming Liverpool head coach.

Iraola was at the AXA Training Centre last week and met a number of players, but with the bulk of Liverpool's first team set to return to Merseyside this week, there's certainly a feeling that business is now really getting started.

There are still 41 days before the Reds start their Premier League campaign, away at Newcastle, but Iraola will know of the importance of this first news conference in terms of outlining his vision and giving the fanbase something to look forward to, after a torrid 2025-26 campaign that resulted in the sacking of Arne Slot.

And there'll be plenty of topics on the agenda from squad depth, vice-captain options, the style of football Liverpool supporters can expect and, perhaps most importantly, what Iraola's ambitions are.

The past two men to take the job won Liverpool the Premier League and the club's hierarchy firmly believes Iraola is capable of doing that long term.

The Reds will train this week before flying to Chicago next Monday, with three pre-season friendlies scheduled in the United States and a further two more at Anfield after they return.

Come back to this page later for all the key lines from Iraola, analysis of what the Spaniard has said and the chance to have your say.

And you can watch Iraola's news conference - due to start at 11:00 BST - on our live page here

Argentina may have anticipated a cruise to the last four of the World Cup when Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister flicked home Lionel Messi's corner at the near post with just 10 minutes gone.

But they failed to press their advantage and Switzerland built into the game before Nottingham Forest winger Dan Ndoye struck after 67 minutes.

Ndoye cut in from the left, played a one-two with Ricardo Rodriguez and tucked his finish through the legs of Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez settled a controversial match in extra time with a moment of brilliance, curling an unstoppable 25-yard effort past Swiss keeper Gregor Kobel.

Lautaro Martinez added a third just before the full-time whistle.

Argentina's bid for back-to-back World Cups is alive and they will now face England in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

Liverpool and Manchester United have made contact over a move for Wolves and Brazil midfielder Joao Gomes, 25, after a switch to Atletico Madrid fell through. (Globo - in Portuguese), external

Chelsea are looking at a move for Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton after Liverpool and Manchester United both cooled their interest in the 22-year-old. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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