Liverpool Premier League Squad Clarification: Missing Trio Explained

Liverpool’s 25-man Premier League squad for the 2026-27 season landed on Thursday – and immediately sparked confusion.

Three names many supporters expected to see were nowhere to be found. No Jeremy Jacquet. No Rio Ngumoha. No Giovanni Leoni.

They haven’t vanished. They’re just too young to worry about the paperwork.

Barcola headlines a leaner Liverpool squad

With the summer window closed, Liverpool’s business ended with a statement signing: Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain in a $166 million deal. The winger is in line to make his debut on Friday night against Ipswich Town, a rapid introduction after one of the window’s biggest moves.

Liverpool trimmed more than they added over the summer, easing head coach Andoni Iraola’s job when it came to submitting his official list. The club is now locked into this squad until the January window opens.

The 25-man roster submitted to the Premier League reads:

• Ronald Araujo
• Bradley Barcola
• Alisson Becker
• Conor Bradley
• Luke Chambers
• Federico Chiesa
• Hugo Ekitike
• Wataru Endo
• Jeremie Frimpong
• Cody Gakpo
• Joe Gomez
• Ryan Gravenberch
• Alexander Isak
• Vitezslav Jaros
• Milos Kerkez
• Isaac Mabaya
• Alexis Mac Allister
• Giorgi Mamardashvili
• James McConnell
• Victor Munoz
• Dominik Szoboszlai
• Kostas Tsimikas
• Virgil van Dijk
• Florian Wirtz
• Freddie Woodman

That list alone was enough to stir debate. The absence of Jacquet, Ngumoha, and Leoni quickly did the rounds on social media, with some fans fearing injuries or registration issues.

The reality is far simpler.

Why Jacquet, Ngumoha and Leoni are missing – and still available

Premier League rules cap each squad at 25 senior players, with a maximum of 17 who are not classed as ‘homegrown’. The rest of the list must be made up of homegrown players, with the definition tied to being registered with a club for three full seasons, or 36 months, before a player’s 21st birthday, or while turning 21 during a season.

On top of that, clubs do not have to register their Under-21 players in the 25-man squad at all. Anyone born on or after January 1, 2005, can feature in league matches without taking up a squad slot.

That’s where Liverpool’s missing trio comes in.

Jacquet, born July 13, 2005, is the oldest of the three and still falls under the U21 category. Ngumoha and Leoni are both teenagers as well, so they too are classed as U21 players. All three are eligible to play in the Premier League this season despite not being listed.

Jacquet and Ngumoha have already appeared this campaign, underlining their first-team status in everything but paperwork. Leoni, meanwhile, is sidelined – one of three Liverpool players currently out injured, along with Joe Gomez and Federico Chiesa.

Injury timeline offers quiet boost for Iraola

Ahead of Friday’s trip to Ipswich, Iraola outlined where that injured trio stands.

“The closest one is Joe,” he said when asked for an update. “Joe will probably start training with us next week.

“He’s had a normal 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.

“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.”

So while the official list looks settled, there is movement coming behind it. Barcola could step straight into the spotlight at Ipswich. Gomez, Leoni and Chiesa are edging back towards contention. And the likes of Jacquet and Ngumoha remain ready to be called upon without ever needing their names on that 25-man sheet.

On paper, Liverpool’s squad is fixed until January. On the pitch, Iraola still has plenty of pieces left to play.