Liverpool Chase Ferran Torres as Iraola Plots Pre-Season Without Van Dijk and Gakpo

Liverpool Target Ferran Torres as Iraola Shapes His Squad

Liverpool are not sitting around this summer. The Reds have already brought in Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet, but the big headline is their pursuit of Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, with reports indicating a £40m offer has been tabled. If this deal goes through, it would signal a clear statement of intent from Andoni Iraola: Liverpool's attack is getting an upgrade, and they're willing to go shopping at Camp Nou to make it happen.

The Torres chase raises fascinating questions. Barcelona have been trimming their wage bill and offloading players who don't fit their system, and Torres has struggled to nail down a consistent starting role in Catalonia. For Liverpool, though, his versatility across the front line could be exactly what Iraola needs as he moulds the squad in his image. It's a move that would add depth, quality, and a player with Champions League pedigree to an already talented group.

Key Stars Missing from US Training Camp

Liverpool's pre-season preparations are already underway across the Atlantic, but two of the club's biggest names are conspicuous by their absence. Andoni Iraola confirmed in a press conference that neither Cody Gakpo nor Virgil van Dijk will travel to the United States for the training camp. Both players will follow their own training schedules back on Merseyside, with Iraola citing specific reasons for their delayed integration.

Ryan Gravenberch will join the squad, along with two blockbuster names: Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. All three are expected to link up with the team next week and will be fully integrated from the second week of camp. The staggered arrivals reflect the reality of managing a squad packed with international-calibre talent, but it also means Iraola will have limited time to build chemistry before the competitive action begins.

Ekitike and Bradley Still a Long Way Off

The injury news is less encouraging. Iraola confirmed that striker Hugo Ekitike and defender Conor Bradley are still "way off" a return to full fitness. Ekitike ruptured his Achilles tendon back in April and is unlikely to feature for Liverpool at all this year. That is a brutal blow for a player who was just beginning to make his mark at Anfield. Bradley, meanwhile, remains sidelined with a serious knee injury, leaving Liverpool short of options at full-back heading into the new campaign.

These long-term absences put even more pressure on Iraola to get his transfer business right. If Ferran Torres does arrive, he won't just be a luxury signing; he'll be filling a genuine need in an attack that could be without Ekitike for the foreseeable future.

Packed Pre-Season Schedule Awaits

Liverpool's American tour features three friendlies that should give Iraola a proper look at his options. The Reds take on Sunderland on 26 July, followed by a clash against Wrexham a few days later, before wrapping up stateside with a match against Leeds United on 2 August. After returning to England, Liverpool will host AS Monaco and Como at Anfield before the real business begins.

The 2025-26 Premier League season kicks off on 23 August with a fixture against Newcastle United, a match that could set the tone for Iraola's first full campaign in charge. With new signings to bed in, key players returning from extended breaks, and serious injuries depleting the squad, Liverpool's preparation window is tight. Every session in the US matters, and every transfer decision between now and the opener against Newcastle will be scrutinised heavily.

For bettors and fans alike, the question is simple: can Iraola get this squad firing quickly enough? The Torres pursuit suggests he's not leaving anything to chance.