2026-27 season preview: Liverpool

Liverpool's 2025-26 campaign was a failure for many other reasons, from Slot's tactical fanaticism to the team's failure to effectively onboard its new hires. But when viewed through the lens of the club's unimaginable grief, all of those reasons start to coalesce into disparate parts of the same story. It's hard to imagine any club handling a tragedy of that magnitude any better than Liverpool did. But soccer is a results-oriented business, and tragedy or not, Liverpool simply didn't get the results in needed last season. Slot lost his job as a result, and several of the team's biggest stars moved on, too.

What will success look like for Liverpool this season?

A return to joy and freedom. New coach Andoni Iraola arrives high off several stellar campaigns with Bournemouth and should bring a fresh perspective to the club.

Which players have arrived?

Liverpool made most of its big signings last year to support Slot's title defense; it hasn't brought in any big names for Iraola. It did, however, sign Barcelona and Uruguay defender Ronald Araujo, and that looks like a smart signing on paper. Araujo is experienced, inexpensive and ready to play any part Liverpool needs him to within its fractured back line.

Which players have departed?

So, so many of them.

The biggest loss is undoubtedly Egyptian attacker Mohamed Salah. He struggled under Slot in 2025-26 — he gave a fiery interview about how unloved he felt at Slot's Liverpool midway through the season — and cut the cord with the club even after Slot's departure was confirmed. He'll be playing in the Turkish Super Lig for Trabzonspor this season, and he'll be dearly missed by the Liverpool faithful.

Salah wasn't the only player to leave, though. Defenders Ibrahima and Andy Robertson left for Real Madrid and Spurs, respectively.

Which players might come or go in the next few weeks?

Liverpool has been in contact with Paris Saint-Germain over two of its hyped young attackers: French winger Bradley Barcola and Senegalese winger Ibrahim Mbaye. Both would be fabulous additions to Iraola's attack ... and both would serve as natural replacements for Cody Gakpo, who may be on his way to Spurs in the opening weeks of the new season.

Liverpool will kick off its 2026-27 campaign against Newcastle on Sunday, Aug. 23.