Liverpool have wasted no time under new manager Andoni Iraola, with the club reportedly eyeing a move for West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer.
The Reds confirmed Iraola as their new head coach following Arne Slot’s departure, with the former Bournemouth manager inheriting a squad in need of significant reinforcement.
Iraola made an immediate impression on supporters during his first Anfield interview, striking an honest and ambitious tone from the outset.
“I think Liverpool gives me the chance to coach top players, and top players give you the chance to fight for titles. To win titles. It cannot be more attractive than this,” he said.
He also acknowledged the expectation that comes with the job while urging patience as he settles in at the club.
“Obviously when you arrive at a place, you cannot promise everything. You cannot promise. But it’s true that I understand where I’m coming and what is expected. I’m ready for the challenge,” Iraola added.
He continued: “At the beginning when you arrive at any club, I think you need to kind of prove a little bit yourself. You need to earn the right also to belong.”
According to A Bola in Portugal, via Sport Witness, Liverpool are now eyeing a move for Fernandes, looking to hijack Manchester United’s pursuit of the West Ham player.
United have been deterred by West Ham’s £68.3m valuation and are reportedly unwilling to go beyond £47m to secure the midfielder’s signature this summer.
That significant gap of around £20m between the two parties has opened the door for Liverpool to step in and potentially win the race for Fernandes.
The 25/26 Premier League season statistics make a compelling case for the signing, with Fernandes recording 103 tackles and 182 recoveries compared to Alexis Mac Allister’s 53 and 112 respectively.
Fernandes also edged Mac Allister in duel success rate, recording 55.4% compared to the Argentine’s 45.2%, while both players created a similar number of chances across the campaign.
Liverpool’s midfield struggles were a defining feature of their disappointing season, with the team frequently overrun and lacking the intensity that defined Jurgen Klopp’s tenure at Anfield.
Iraola’s high-energy, pressing-based approach at Bournemouth suggests he will demand far more physicality and work rate from his midfielders than was seen last term.
Mac Allister, while a technically gifted player, may find it difficult to keep pace with the demands of an intense pressing system under the new Liverpool boss.
Fernandes, by contrast, offers the kind of defensive output and durability that would suit Iraola’s preferred style of play considerably well.
Liverpool securing Fernandes ahead of United would represent both a shrewd piece of business and a significant statement of intent heading into next season.