Liverpool's Bradley Barcola Set for Premier League Debut Against Ipswich

Liverpool’s record outlay on Bradley Barcola will not buy him any time to settle. Andoni Iraola is ready to throw the £123m signing straight into the Premier League’s glare at Ipswich on Friday night.

The French winger arrived from PSG on the penultimate day of the window for an initial £106m, a fee that could climb to just below the club-record sum Liverpool paid Newcastle for Alexander Isak last summer. He has barely had a pre-season. He has no match rhythm. Iraola is not remotely bothered.

“We are very happy with Bradley; it was our priority to sign a very, very good player in those positions,” the Liverpool manager said on Thursday. “He has also come with the right mentality. I like that he wanted Liverpool a lot. He wanted to come here.

“It’s a good first sign, and being the player he is, he has come with the willingness to help us. He is playing well for us [in training], and if everything goes well in training today, he will definitely be available for us tomorrow.”

Available – and possibly starting.

Asked whether Barcola is ready for the XI or more likely to be eased in from the bench, Iraola replied: “Good question. I see him in a good place.

“He has trained for us; indeed, he hasn’t had minutes in pre-season. He has been training, and it’s a decision we have to make. But we have to consider he hasn’t had minutes in pre-season games.”

Barcola in, Gakpo stays put

Deadline day at Anfield turned into a story of two wingers. As Barcola signed, Cody Gakpo stayed – but only after FSG stepped in and blocked an £80m move to Manchester City.

The Dutch forward has since held clear-the-air talks with the ownership. Any awkwardness, Iraola insists, will not spill onto the pitch. Gakpo remains central to his plans, starting with the trip to Portman Road.

“My relationship with Cody has been very honest from the beginning,” Iraola said. “He has played very well for us so far.

“He was always aware of the situation in the market; we were constantly talking, and I hope we can keep him at the same level. He is in a good place physically and mentally, and I’m very happy to pick him.”

No Salah, no panic

The bigger question around Liverpool’s attack hangs on the right flank. Mohamed Salah has not been directly replaced, but Iraola refuses to panic about the balance of his squad.

“We prefer at the end to have the best players rather than players specifically for that position,” he said. “I’m used at other teams to demand wingers to play on both sides. We’ve played with Rio and Cody now on the right; probably most of the wingers play on the left, but I’ve seen them good on the right.

“Bradley is very open and can play on the left or the right. At Lyon, he sometimes played on the right. It depends on the match-ups, but I’m happy with the wingers we have, and we are going to be able to cope on the right.”

The price tag will follow Barcola wherever he lines up. Iraola is determined it will not define him.

“We can’t put pressure on the players to perform because of their price because we’ve seen how much players have cost at other teams this summer,” he warned. “Once he is our player, he is our player!”

Searching for first win

Behind all the transfer noise sits a blunt reality: Iraola is still waiting for his first victory as Liverpool manager. Two games, two 2-2 draws. Promise, but no three points.

Ipswich, he knows, are in no mood to play the accommodating hosts.

“Ipswich are a team that won their first game at home. Even the other day, in the first half they were the better team until United got the 2-1 and the game opened up. We have to be ready, give our best,” he said.

The lack of a win already irritates him.

“Definitely. If you don’t win, you are frustrated,” he admitted. “It’s only two games, but we need to win. This game tomorrow, the first two games weeks are the most difficult, but I’m much more comfortable now the market is closed, and we know who we are. We have to perform and do our job.”

The window is shut. The squad is set. Barcola is through the door, Gakpo is still in the room. Now Iraola has nowhere left to look but the pitch.