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If Liverpool's first preseason under Andoni Iraola has made one thing clear, it's that their defensive vulnerabilities remain a serious concern.
Apart from keeping a clean sheet against second-division Wrexham, the Reds have conceded nine goals across fixtures against Sunderland, Leeds United and Monaco—throwing away two-goal advantages in defeats during the latter two games.
There are extenuating circumstances, naturally, most notably the unavailability of key players, but defensive frailties are hardly a new issue for Liverpool. Last season under Arne Slot, a shortage of depth and quality led to one of the club's most porous defensive campaigns in recent memory.
Iraola has needed reinforcements this summer, particularly following the departures of Ibrahima Konaté and Andy Robertson, and the loan acquisition of Ronald Araújo from Barcelona goes some way toward addressing those concerns. Jérémy Jacquet has also officially completed his move to the club after a deal was agreed back in January.
Nevertheless, doubts persist over the overall quality of Liverpool's defensive options, and Iraola faces some difficult decisions ahead of the club's Premier League opener away to Newcastle United.
Defensive Dilemmas for Iraola
Even with a fully fit squad at his disposal, there are still question marks surrounding the strength of Liverpool's backline. At present, however, Iraola's choices are further limited by a number of injury setbacks.
At right back, Conor Bradley remains on the sidelines for the foreseeable future following a serious knee injury picked up last January. With Joe Gomez also struggling with his fitness once again, the right back curse that plagued Liverpool throughout last season continues to be a persistent problem.
The addition of Araújo should provide some relief. The Uruguayan international is most naturally suited to center back, but has previously been deployed at right back. The 27-year-old's pace and physicality make him a viable option in that role should Iraola decide against fielding the out-of-form Jeremie Frimpong or the underwhelming Calvin Ramsay.
However, Araújo is equally needed at center back, where depth is severely lacking. Virgil van Dijk is now 35 and was given virtually no rest last term, featuring in almost every Liverpool match before leading the Netherlands at the World Cup. The imposing Dutchman is no longer the dominant force he once was, either.
Gomez is not the only center back sidelined, as young Giovanni Leoni continues to recover from the ACL injury he suffered on his debut last September. The promising Italian is almost certain to miss the start of the campaign and may not contribute meaningfully until the winter window.
Considerable responsibility therefore rests on Jacquet, who has his own fitness concerns to manage. While the Frenchman is expected to feature in Liverpool's final preseason outing against Como next weekend, he has been absent since last February due to a combination of shoulder and knee issues. Iraola will need to reintegrate him carefully, bearing in mind he is adapting to an entirely new country at just 21 years of age.
Fortunately, left back is a position of relative certainty. Milos Kerkez is the clear first choice following Robertson's exit, with Kostas Tsimikas serving as a modest backup after returning from an underwhelming loan stint at Roma in 2025–26.
Liverpool's Best Defense As Things Stand
There is absolutely no debate over Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper. An injury-disrupted campaign meant Alisson was frequently absent in 2025–26, but the Brazilian remains one of the finest shot-stoppers in the world when fully fit. He is a considerably better option than Giorgi Mamardashvili, who has yet to make a convincing impression on Merseyside.
As noted, Kerkez is a certainty at left back and deservedly so following a strong second half of last season, while Van Dijk's experience, leadership and physical presence remain absolutely vital in the left center back role—even if some of his sharpness and pace have faded.
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Liverpool look set to begin the season with Frimpong at right back. The Dutch international was overlooked for the World Cup and has had a full preseason, logging over an hour in three of the club's four friendlies. Questions over his defensive reliability remain, but his pace and pressing intensity should suit Iraola's high-energy system. Once Bradley returns to fitness, however, he is expected to reclaim the starting spot.
Who will partner Van Dijk for the opening fixture against Newcastle is still unclear. On paper, new signing Araújo appears the strongest candidate given his top-level experience, though Jacquet could quickly climb the pecking order with an impressive start under Iraola. For now, though, the Barcelona loanee holds the edge.
