Liverpool have officially submitted their 25-man Premier League squad for the first stage of the 2026/27 season.
With the summer transfer window now closed, this gives us a much clearer picture of the players Andoni Iraola will have available for the Premier League until the January window opens.
Liverpool’s list contains 25 players, with eight fulfilling the Premier League’s homegrown criteria. The remaining places are occupied by players who do not meet that requirement. (Liverpool FC)
And when you look at the names on the list, there are some interesting things to take from it.
Liverpool’s 25-man squad
Liverpool have submitted the following squad:
Ronald Araujo, Bradley Barcola, Alisson Becker, Conor Bradley, Luke Chambers, Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitike, Wataru Endo, Jeremie Frimpong*, Cody Gakpo, Joe Gomez*, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexander Isak, Vitezslav Jaros*, Milos Kerkez, Isaac Mabaya*, Alexis Mac Allister, Giorgi Mamardashvili, James McConnell*, Victor Munoz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Kostas Tsimikas, Virgil van Dijk, Florian Wirtz and Freddie Woodman*.**
● = homegrown.
The club’s official announcement confirms the list and the Premier League’s squad-registration rules.
Interestingly, Liverpool have filled all 25 available places.
That means Iraola has a full senior squad at his disposal for the Premier League, although several younger players remain outside the 25-man list because of their age and are still eligible to feature.
Eight homegrown players
Liverpool have eight homegrown players included in the squad:
● Conor Bradley
● Luke Chambers
● Jeremie Frimpong
● Joe Gomez
● Vitezslav Jaros
● Isaac Mabaya
● James McConnell
● Freddie Woodman
That is important because Premier League rules require clubs to have no more than 17 players who don’t meet the homegrown criteria within a 25-man squad.
Liverpool therefore have plenty of room within the regulations.
It also shows the importance of players such as Bradley, Gomez and Frimpong, who count towards that homegrown quota.
Barcola is officially part of the squad
Perhaps the most exciting name on the list is Bradley Barcola.
Liverpool’s major attacking signing is now officially registered for Premier League football, meaning he is available to Iraola following the international break and can make his debut against Ipswich if selected.
Liverpool agreed a deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Barcola worth up to around £123 million, including add-ons.
For me, this is the signing that could have the biggest impact on Liverpool’s attacking options.
The Reds have started the season with two 2-2 draws and have sometimes lacked pace and penetration in the final third.
Barcola gives Iraola another option capable of running beyond defenders and creating something from nothing.
Isak and Ekitike both make the list
Another important detail is that both Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike are included.
That’s particularly significant because Ekitike remains unavailable with his long-term injury.
Liverpool therefore have their two senior centre-forward options registered, even though the reality is that Iraola currently has to rely heavily on Isak.
That makes the decision not to sign another striker before the deadline even more interesting.
Liverpool clearly believe they can manage the situation until Ekitike returns.
Whether that proves to be the right decision remains to be seen.
The midfield remains unchanged
The midfield selection is also revealing.
Liverpool have:
Wataru Endo
Ryan Gravenberch
Alexis Mac Allister
Dominik Szoboszlai
James McConnell
There is no new defensive midfielder.
That’s something I remain concerned about.
Liverpool decided against adding another midfielder during the summer, and this squad list confirms that Iraola will have to work with the options already at the club.
The manager has already spoken positively about the numbers he has available in midfield and said it is now about finding the right combinations.
That is going to be one of the biggest tactical challenges of the season.
The right-back situation hasn’t changed either
Then there is the right-back position.
Liverpool have Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez, while Ronald Araujo can also provide defensive versatility.
But there is no new specialist right-back.
That means Iraola may once again have to rely on versatility.
We have already seen Dominik Szoboszlai used at right-back, and Iraola has made it clear that he values players who can operate in different positions.
It could be a recurring theme throughout the season.
The squad still has plenty of quality
Despite my concerns about certain positions, there is no denying that this is a talented squad.
Look at some of the names available:
Alisson.
Van Dijk.
Araujo.
Barcola.
Wirtz.
Isak.
Gakpo.
Gravenberch.
Mac Allister.
Szoboszlai.
There is an enormous amount of quality there.
The question isn’t whether Liverpool have good players.
It’s whether they have enough of the right players in the right positions.
That’s a very different question.
👀 And this is where Iraola becomes so important
This squad is going to test Andoni Iraola’s coaching ability.
He doesn’t have every position covered with a specialist.
He doesn’t have the traditional defensive midfielder many supporters wanted.
He doesn’t have an obvious replacement for Mohamed Salah.
He doesn’t have another senior striker to take the pressure off Isak while Ekitike is injured.
And he doesn’t have the specialist right-back many supporters expected Liverpool to sign.
But he does have versatility.
He has players who can operate in different positions.
And he has some genuinely outstanding individual talent.
Now it’s about getting the best out of it.
Liverpool have made their decision
The 25-man squad list doesn’t change my opinion of Liverpool’s summer transfer window.
I still believe the squad could have been strengthened further.
But it does tell us something important.
This is the group Liverpool have chosen to trust.
There will be no more summer additions.
There will be no deadline-day solution to the midfield problem.
There will be no new specialist right-back arriving.
There will be no additional senior striker while Ekitike is injured.
Instead, Iraola has to make it work.
And perhaps the biggest positive is that Liverpool have finally added Barcola to the equation.
If he settles quickly, if Isak starts getting better service, if Wirtz finds his rhythm and if the likes of Bradley and Gomez return to full fitness, this squad could still look very different in a few months.
Now it’s over to Iraola
The transfer window is closed.
Liverpool’s 25-man Premier League squad has been submitted.
The decisions have been made.
Now there are no more excuses.
It’s over to Andoni Iraola.
He’s got the players.
He’s got the talent.
He’s got the versatility.
Now Liverpool need him to find the formula.
And if he can do that, perhaps this squad is capable of much more than the first two games of the season have suggested.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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