Here’s how Liverpool might shape up in 2027 with Trent Alexander-Arnold back and Alex Scott joining at Anfield.
Andoni Iraola is still pretty new to managing Liverpool, but he already sees that another big rebuild might be coming as he works to bring back the team’s winning days at Anfield.
After a summer where club legends Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson left, Iraola could lose even more key players by the end of the season. Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker are both out of contract next summer, which means they could agree to join foreign clubs as early as January.
Iraola will try to convince them to stay by aiming for success this season. But with Van Dijk now 35 and Alisson 34, it’s clear that fresh talent will be needed soon. Here’s a look at what that might look like.
Starting in goal, Alisson has been amazing for Liverpool, but even if he stays, the club needs to plan for the future. They’ve already signed Giorgi Mamardashvili as part of this plan, though he might not be ready to start right away if he doesn’t get enough Premier League game time.
Liverpool might also bring in another goalkeeper, with Hull City’s Konstantinos Tzolakis tipped to join next summer. He may not start as No.1 immediately, but he would be strong competition for Mamardashvili.
The biggest changes could happen in central defense. Van Dijk’s contract ends this season, and Barcelona has shown interest in him. Replacing his leadership and experience will be tough, but Liverpool may have a future star in Jeremy Jacquet, who Steven Gerrard believes can be a key defender for years to come. The challenge will be finding the right partner for Jacquet since Giovanni Leoni has struggled with injuries.
Micky van de Ven, who recently signed a new deal with Tottenham, might be a perfect partner for Jacquet, though he would be expensive. Another option could be Alessandro Bastoni, whose contract with Inter Milan will enter its final year next summer — possibly making him a more affordable target.
Things might also change at right-back after Jeremie Frimpong’s rocky start at Liverpool. There’s talk of bringing Trent Alexander-Arnold back, who’s reportedly unhappy with limited playtime under Real Madrid’s new coach José Mourinho. It would be interesting to see how fans welcome him back after his controversial exit last year.
At left-back, Liverpool could enjoy some stability. Milos Kerkez is settling in well and doesn’t need replacing, though there’s still room for him to improve.
Iraola also has central midfield more settled. Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to become captain if Van Dijk leaves and has formed a good partnership with Ryan Gravenberch. Instead of replacing them, Liverpool might add long-term target Alex Scott to give the team more options. This could also give Szoboszlai more freedom to play further forward, something he hasn’t been able to do much this season.
Then there’s Florian Wirtz. He has been disappointing since joining last year, but it might be too soon to move on from him just yet, even though he hasn’t shown much to justify his big £116 million price.
The good news for Iraola is the forward line looks strong. Bradley Barcola and Victor Munoz have had good starts this season, and Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike are still among the Premier League’s top strikers. Add Lewis Koumas’s recent good form, and Liverpool has a solid base to build from.