Liverpool’s 2026/27 Premier League season has begun with an unbeaten run, although Andoni Iraola’s side have not always looked convincing.
The Reds have collected nine points from their opening five league matches, with two wins and three draws.
Liverpool opened the campaign with a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United before drawing 2-2 with Nottingham Forest. They then beat Ipswich Town 2-0, drew 0-0 with Fulham and went into the September/October international break with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth.
The Liverpool signings from the 2026 summer window have already started to play a role in Iraola’s new-look squad.
Bradley Barcola joined from Paris Saint-Germain in a major deal, while Victor Munoz arrived from Osasuna after being part of Spain’s 2026 World Cup-winning squad. Jeremy Jacquet also joined from Rennes, with Ronald Araujo arriving on loan from Barcelona to strengthen the defence.
However, with several of the Liverpool signings still adapting to Iraola’s system, it is too early to know exactly how much of an impact the new arrivals will have over the full season.
The Impact of the 2026/27 Liverpool Signings
The opening weeks of the season have already provided a good indication of where the summer additions have strengthened Liverpool and where there are still questions to answer.
The biggest change has come in attack, while the midfield has remained largely unchanged and the defence has been given more depth.
Barcola Adds Another Attacking Option
The Liverpool signings have given Iraola another attacking option following the departure of Mohamed Salah at the end of last season.
Bradley Barcola joined from Paris Saint-Germain on August 31, becoming one of the headline additions to Liverpool’s squad during the summer window.
The France international arrives with considerable experience despite being just 24, having made 152 appearances for PSG, scoring 39 goals and providing 35 assists.
Barcola did not have a full pre-season with his new club after representing France at the World Cup, meaning Iraola has had to manage his minutes carefully.
He made his Liverpool debut as a substitute against Ipswich Town before starting against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Barcola produced a lively performance in that match but was substituted after an hour with cramp. Iraola later explained that the winger was still building his fitness after not playing during the club’s pre-season.
The Frenchman therefore still has plenty of time to settle into the side.
Victor Munoz is another of the Liverpool signings who can provide more depth in attack. The Spain international joined from Osasuna after scoring seven goals and providing five assists in 34 appearances during the 2025/26 season.
Iraola has described Munoz as a versatile player who can operate on either flank and provide the work rate required in his system.
Liverpool still have Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak among their main attacking options, although injuries have affected their availability.
Isak has already made an impact, scoring twice in the 2-0 win over Ipswich before netting the winner against Bournemouth. His four Premier League goals have given Liverpool an important source of goals during a period when their overall attacking play has not always been fluid.
However, Isak is currently back at Liverpool after leaving the Sweden squad because of a minor injury. The striker will be assessed by Liverpool’s medical staff before the club’s next match against Manchester City on October 11.
The Liverpool signings have therefore given Iraola more attacking depth, but Barcola and Munoz will need more time before their full impact can be judged.
READ MORE: 2026 Summer Manchester United Signings: How Michael Carrick’s New Additions Have Started
Midfield Remains Familiar
Midfield is a more difficult area to assess when looking at the Liverpool signings because Liverpool did not make a major senior addition to the position during the summer window.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have continued to form an important part of the midfield, while Wataru Endo provides another option.
Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool in 2025, can also operate in a deeper role when required, although Iraola has generally used him further forward.
The lack of a major midfield signing means that Iraola has largely inherited the group that helped Liverpool navigate the previous campaign.
That has not necessarily been a major problem during the opening weeks.
Liverpool have controlled periods of games well, particularly during the victories over Ipswich and Bournemouth, but there have also been matches where their midfield has struggled to create enough for the forwards.
The 0-0 draw with Fulham was a particularly frustrating result, while Liverpool also needed a late Alexander Isak goal to beat Bournemouth despite having some difficulty breaking down their opponents.
The summer arrivals have therefore had less influence in midfield than they have in attack and defence.
Iraola will need the existing midfielders to remain consistent while his new attackers continue adapting to the manager’s style.
More Depth at the Back
Defence is where the Liverpool signings have given Iraola some important additional options.
Jeremy Jacquet joined from Rennes in July after making 33 senior appearances for the French club. The 20-year-old centre-back impressed during pre-season, scoring on his Liverpool debut against Como.
However, Jacquet has yet to establish himself as a regular starter in competitive matches.
Ronald Araujo has also arrived on a season-long loan from Barcelona. The Uruguay international brings considerable experience after making more than 200 appearances for the Spanish club and gives Iraola another option in central defence.
The arrival of Araujo is particularly useful given Liverpool’s existing injury problems.
Joe Gomez missed the start of the campaign with a muscle injury, while Giovanni Leoni has been recovering from an ACL injury suffered last season. Liverpool had expected Leoni to begin working with the group during the September international break.
Liverpool have therefore needed their defensive depth early in the campaign.
Virgil van Dijk remains the leader of the backline, while Jacquet and Araujo give Iraola more options alongside him. Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have also brought further attacking ability to the full-back positions since joining in the summer of 2025.
The defence has generally looked solid during the opening weeks, with the clean sheet against Ipswich followed by another shutout at Bournemouth.
For now, the Liverpool signings appear to have strengthened the depth of the Liverpool backline without completely changing Iraola’s preferred defensive structure.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Every African Nation Still Waiting for a Premier League Player
Extra Time Notes
There is still a long way to go in Liverpool’s 2026/27 campaign, meaning it would be too early to make any final judgement on the summer arrivals.
The Liverpool signings have already added more depth to Iraola’s squad, particularly with Barcola providing another option across the front line and Araujo giving the manager another experienced defender.
Munoz also offers versatility in attack, while Jacquet has shown some of his potential during his limited opportunities.
However, the opening five Premier League matches have also shown that Liverpool still have areas to improve.
The Reds remain unbeaten, but three draws from their first five league games mean they have not been able to turn every promising performance into three points.
The attack has produced enough to win matches, with Isak already scoring four Premier League goals, but the 0-0 draw against Fulham and the narrow victory over Bournemouth showed that Liverpool can still struggle to break down organised defences.
The Liverpool signings may give Iraola more solutions as the season progresses, but several of the new arrivals are still adapting to their new surroundings.
Barcola in particular could become increasingly important once he reaches full fitness, while Araujo and Jacquet give Iraola more defensive options as the season becomes more demanding.
For now, the Liverpool signings have strengthened the squad without completely changing it.
The next few months will show whether the new arrivals can give Iraola the extra quality and depth needed to turn Liverpool’s unbeaten start into a stronger challenge across the rest of the campaign.
More Premier League News
2026 Summer Manchester City Signings: Early Verdict on Enzo Maresca’s First Man City Squad
Premier League 2026/27: Why Are Premier League Games Becoming So Chaotic?
