New Liverpool signing Bradley Barcola looks set to make his debut against Ipswich Town this weekend.

• READ MORE: Press conferences for Gameweek 3

However, when speaking at Thursday’s press conference, Andoni Iraola hinted that bench duty may beckon at first.

“He trained well with us. If everything goes well in today’s training, he will definitely be available for tomorrow.

“I see him in a good place. He has trained with us, I think, three [times]. It’s true that he hasn’t had minutes in pre-season but he has been training normal with the group [at PSG]. Then it’s a decision that we have to make. I think he is in a good place but we also have to consider that he hasn’t had minutes in the pre-season games. – Andoni Iraola on Bradley Barcola

Iraola also mentioned Barcola’s ability to play on the right flank, with the Reds understaffed on that side and oversubscribed on the left.

“I think we preferred, in the end, to have the best players, than a player that maybe is specific only for that position. I think I’m very used, from my previous teams, to demanding all the wingers play on both  sides.

“I know they normally have their preferred position, but we’ve been playing with Víctor [Munoz], with Cody [Gakpo], with Rio [Ngumoha] in pre-season, in competition now, on the right side. I think probably all of them have played more on the left, but I would say, I’ve seen them in a good place on the right. Probably Rio is more specific for the left side, but I think he has also shown the willingness to improve and play on the right.

“Even Bradley [Barcola], I think he’s very open and I think he can play right and left. He started actually more on the right side when he started with Olympique Lyonnais.

“Obviously, it will depend on the match-ups, on what we consider for every game, but I’m happy with the four wingers we have and I’m sure we are going to be able to cover those two positions.” – Andoni Iraola on Liverpool’s inability to sign a right winger

• READ MORE: FPL reveal Barcola’s price + two others

Injury-wise, Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (knee), Joe Gomez (muscle) and Federico Chiesa (muscle) remain out for the Reds.

Gomez is the only one due back before the September international break.

“The closest one is Joe. Joe will probably start training with us next week. It has gone normally, the recovery from a muscle injury, more or less we were expecting the time on this. I hope we can have him before the break, let’s say.

“I think the next one probably should be Giovanni Leoni. I think the plan is also to start training during the break, with the group. I think even Fede should be around those dates. Probably Conor, and especially Hugo, will go later, yes.” – Andoni Iraola

With the ongoing injuries at right-back, Iraola was asked about the conversations he’s had with Dominik Szoboszlai about moving him into the back four, as happened in Gameweek 2, and whether he sees the Hungarian as an ongoing option at full-back.

“I think since I started here, I’ve talked to a lot of players about the position where they prefer to play. But I haven’t found any situations where any player has told me, “No, I don’t want to play here.” I think  everyone has shown the right attitude. I more or less know the preferred position of everyone. Sometimes it’s the same, I think, from them. Sometimes I say, “Okay, I see you maybe more here,” and we have discussions. But everyone is ready to help.

“If we have to play him as a right winger, as a right-back, as a left-back, I think he’s ready to do it. I think he wants to help the team first. And I think it’s good also to have players who can cover different positions, especially now, probably, that we have some injuries and we need this versatility from the  players. Having players like Dom, for me, is very valuable because even in the game, they allow me to change their positions. 

“Definitely, we look thin [at right-back], yes. But if you take two players from every position injured, you will always look thin. And now we are in that situation. That’s why I value Dom Szoboszlai, who can play right-back, [and] Ronald Araújo, who can also play right-back.” – Andoni Iraola on Dominik Szoboszlai and the versatility of his players

Cody Gakpo is staying with the Reds after touted moves to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City failed to materialise, and Iraola is happy to have him still aboard.

“Cody is a very smart player. I think also my relationship with him has been very honest since the beginning. He has performed with us, I would say, very well in all the pre-season games, in all the games. He scored the first day, assisted the next one.

“He was always aware of the situations in the market. We were constantly talking with each other. He’s trained very well and I hope we keep him at the same level. I’m sure it’s going to be like this. I think he’s in a good place physically, mentally, and I’m very happy to keep Cody because, for me, he’s a very valuable player.” – Andoni Iraola on Cody Gakpo