According to The Athletic, Iraola has made a positive start since taking over Liverpool, but there are still many obvious shortcomings in the team's squad, and time is running out for summer reinforcements.

This week, Iraola was talkative when speaking with the traveling media at Liverpool's team hotel in Chicago.

The new head coach explained that, after succeeding Arne Slot as Liverpool manager this summer, he felt it was his responsibility to prove he was worthy of Anfield. He promised to rebuild the connection between the team and the fans, a bond severely damaged by last season's struggles. The Spaniard said he wants to give the fans a Liverpool team that "fights to the last minute in every situation."

Some coaches like to be the center of attention, but Iraola is clearly not one of them. He spoke more about being "the players' assistant," describing his role as maximizing players' potential and "creating an environment for them to perform better."

So far, those involved in training have given very positive feedback on the former Bournemouth manager's sessions. The training is intense and demanding, but the message is clear, and the team is building a foundation for the new season.

With many first-team stars yet to return after the World Cup, Szoboszlai and Kerkez have stepped up to set the standard for the young players participating in this preseason tour of the United States.

With four weeks and one day remaining until Liverpool's first Premier League match of the new season, away to Newcastle, Iraola still does not have all the tools he needs to ensure a smooth start to his tenure.

French defender Jérémy Jacquet's £60 million transfer from Rennes was finalized in January, while Spanish winger Víctor Muñoz joined from Osasuna for £34 million in mid-June. So far, they are the only two new signings in a squad that has lost Salah, Andy Robertson, and Konate on free transfers.

A look at Liverpool's available personnel for their first tour match, against Sunderland at 6:00 AM CEST on Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee, speaks volumes.

Endo, Bradley, Ekitike, and Giovanni Leone are all still recovering from injuries, so the only legitimate first-team non-goalkeeper players available are Jérémy Jacquet, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Gomez, Chiesa, Curtis Jones, Elliott, Tsimikas, Frimpong, and Ngoumouha. Among them, the futures of Chiesa, Curtis Jones, and Elliott at Liverpool remain uncertain.

Of course, the squad will be bolstered before the second match against Wrexham in New York on Wednesday. Isaac, Wirtz, and Gravenberch are expected to join the team after their three-and-a-half-week break following their World Cup campaigns.

But captain Van Dijk, Gakpo, and Alisson will not rejoin their teammates until after the tour concludes, when the team regroups back on Merseyside. The tour will end next Sunday back in Chicago against Leeds United.

Mac Allister and Víctor Muñoz will return later still, having reached the World Cup final with Argentina and Spain, respectively. Iraola admitted this would affect their preparation for the opening match at St. James' Park on August 23.

For the 44-year-old Basque coach, it is a delicate balance. He wants to spend as much time as possible with the players to convey his philosophy, but he must also consider the bigger picture and understand the importance of rest.

Given Van Dijk's workload for club and country over the past 12 months, it is certainly reasonable to give the 35-year-old center-back more rest. Gakpo's arrangement is due to humanitarian reasons, as he experienced personal grief during the World Cup. As for Alisson, given his history of hamstring injuries, it would make little sense to fly him to the United States just to play one game.

As for the lack of transfer reinforcements, it is important to maintain proper perspective.

The World Cup was likely to mean Liverpool would conduct most of their summer transfer business late in the window. It also needs to be considered that Iraola wants time to fully assess the players he has inherited. Liverpool poached him from Bournemouth, with a key reason being his reputation for developing players.

However, after the World Cup, fans’ growing anxiety over the continued lack of new signings is understandable. This is especially true given that squad depth became a concern last season under Slot when injuries started to Mount.

Iraola said at his press conference in Chicago on Tuesday: "There are some obvious situations, and we know we need to sign players. For example, a winger; we definitely need to sign a winger."

Replacing Salah remains the most pressing priority.

After Liverpool's pursuit of RB Leipzig's Jan Diomande stalled, French international Barcola became their top target. Real Madrid has now also entered negotiations, hoping to sign the 19-year-old.

However, reaching an agreement with European champions PSG is far from easy. The Paris club are under no pressure to sell and value the 23-year-old at over £100 million. Liverpool have also inquired about Monaco’s 24-year-old French international Akliouche, who would be a cheaper alternative.

Given Barcola's dazzling resume, signing him would undoubtedly be a statement move. But if this drags on for too long, Liverpool risk seeing other suitable candidates snapped up.

Iraola said: "We have injured players in some tricky positions. We trust them, but they are not in ideal condition right now."

The most obvious position to address is right-back. Conor Bradley is expected to be out for several more months after suffering a serious knee injury against Arsenal in January.

It would be a big gamble if Liverpool do not strengthen in this position, as they would be heavily reliant on Frimpong before Bradley returns. Calvin Ramsay is also an option, but he is likely to be loaned out after this tour.

At centre-back, Iraola has Van Dijk, Gomez, 21-year-old new signing Jérémy Jacquet, and youngster Giovanni Leone. Leone tore his anterior cruciate ligament on his debut last September and is currently on the comeback trail.

The iconic club captain is in the twilight of his career, while Joe Gomez's inconsistent fitness is also a concern. Jérémy Jacquet and Giovanni Leone are highly rated, but they are young and have yet to prove themselves in English football. Ideally, Liverpool need to bring in a versatile defender with experience who can cover both right-back and centre-back.

Up front, Liverpool also have to deal with the absence of Ekitike until around Christmas. This will place a lot of responsibility on Isaac, who needs to stay healthy and belatedly begin to repay his £125 million transfer fee from last summer.

Given that Ekitike will be returning from an Achilles tendon rupture suffered in April, it was unlikely Liverpool would spend big money on a backup No. 9. But if Chiesa leaves, then even if Liverpool win the race for Barcola, they would have reason to add another attacking option.

For now, Liverpool's attacking options include Ngoumouha, Gakpo, Muñoz, Isaac, and Chiesa.

Then there is the midfield issue. Last season, Liverpool's midfield was too often outfought and outthought. Even if Curtis Jones and Elliott stay, adding more physicality seems necessary.

Iraola has indeed made a very positive start, but there are still obvious gaps in the squad left by Slot that have yet to be filled.

Time is running out.

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