Iraola's Liverpool arrival hands forgotten Tsimikas a route back into contention

Kostas Tsimikas may have a future at Liverpool after all. The Greek left-back, who spent last season on loan at Roma, is in line for a renewed chance under incoming head coach Andoni Iraola, who was confirmed as Arne Slot’s replacement earlier this month following a difficult campaign at Anfield.

Iraola, 43, arrives with a reputation for reviving players who have drifted to the fringes. During his three-year tenure at Bournemouth, he helped Dean Huijsen, Antoine Semenyo and Eli Junior Kroupi develop into prominent figures. His opening message to the Liverpool squad suggested a similar approach is coming: “For me, and I will tell them, [they] are all new signings,” he said after taking charge. “We have a lot of quality in our squad, and [I’m] really looking forward to working with them.”

For Tsimikas, those words carry particular weight. The 30-year-old made 25 appearances for Roma last season — only 11 of them starts — and completed 90 minutes just twice. Much of his playing time came in a wing-back role that differs from the demands placed on a full-back at Anfield, leaving questions about how seamlessly he can slot back in.

The landscape at left-back has shifted significantly. Andy Robertson has departed this summer, creating a vacancy alongside Milos Kerkez, the former Bournemouth player Iraola is expected to install as his first choice. With the club prioritising other areas in the transfer window, Tsimikas — who has one year remaining on his contract — represents a cost-effective option to provide competition and cover.

His Liverpool record is not without merit. Tsimikas contributed more than 1,700 minutes during the title-winning campaign under Slot, and across five seasons at the club he built a reputation as a dependable squad player under Jurgen Klopp. His penalty in the FA Cup final and his enthusiastic connection with the city earned him genuine affection among supporters.

The counterargument is that his inability to permanently displace a Robertson who was often below his best raises doubts about whether he can offer a genuine competitive threat to Kerkez. Whether Iraola views him as a viable squad member or a player to be moved on will become clearer as pre-season unfolds.