Dominik Szoboszlai had an excellent campaign last season, but Liverpool did not – all are agreed.
The club went on a nine-game winless run in the autumn that saw their title defence shudder and come to a halt, leaving them with an uphill task even to qualify for the Champions League.
They ultimately did, as the fifth-place team, and Arne Slot lost the confidence of the board and was dismissed in the summer.
With new manager Andoni Iraola tasked with the project of quickly restoring their footballing fortunes, Szoboszlai is confident that a new era can begin at the club.
“I can’t wait, honestly,” Szoboszlai said. “I feel that we are ready to go again and take motivation from last season because it was not the best. We didn’t end up where we wanted to. So now we’re going to go for it again.
“Everyone is motivated. I think I see in everybody’s eyes that he wants to play and, if you want to play, you have to give your best. And from there the manager is going to decide who is going to play. But everybody is on zero right now.”
Liverpool have brought in Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz this transfer window but the club may still need more reinforcements in defence and on the flanks. Szoboszlai, who may serve as one of the vice-captains next season, said the team must be prepared to compete with the players already at the club if no further signings arrive before the transfer window closes.
“It’s not my job to say who we have to sign or if we have to sign someone,” Szoboszlai said. “But if the guys above and the manager decide to sign someone then we’ll be very happy and welcome them well. If they decide not to, then we get on with it and we have to do something special with this squad.”
Liverpool are still pursuing Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola after losing Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate as free agents. Injuries during pre-season also left Iraola short of defensive options, forcing him to turn to teenagers Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye in the US.
Go behind-the-scenes at Soldier Field in Chicago as the Reds closed out their USA pre-season tour against Leeds United 🎥
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 3, 2026
Szoboszlai praised other younger members of the squad who stepped in during pre-season. Trey Nyoni impressed in matches in Nashville, New York and Chicago while Ndukwe, Ndiaye and Luke Chambers provided cover at the back.
“I knew always that Trey was a good player,” Szoboszlai said. “In training he has shown his quality many times. Also when he had the chance to play in some cup games or even in the Premier League.
“The youngsters at the back also did very well both in the training sessions and the games. They are one of us. The squad is short so we need everybody.”
The 25-year-old said there had been no discussions yet over filling one of the vacant vice-captain roles following the departures of Robertson and Salah. With Virgil van Dijk remaining captain, Alisson absent and Joe Gomez injured, Szoboszlai is likely to be entrusted with the position and said he would regard it as a privilege if offered.
“There hasn’t been any conversation,” he said. “We have Virgil as the captain, we have Ali, we have Joe Gomez, so there was no conversation at all. Obviously Ali is not here and Joe is injured. Let’s see. It’s not fixed.
“If you get offered the vice-captain of Liverpool, you’re going to take it. It would be a proud moment for me but I respect everybody. Whoever it’s going to be, we’re going to follow them.”
Szoboszlai also dismissed suggestions of tension with Curtis Jones when he handed the captain’s armband to Kostas Tsimikas during the friendly against Wrexham.
“It was never a debate between us three,” he said. “We just discussed something on the pitch. After, you guys [the media] make it very big. But next time we will manage to do it in the changing room. Nobody was angry. It’s all cleared. We are cool, everybody.”
