Andoni Iraola has provided an update on Liverpool’s World Cup contingent, confirming that Ryan Gravenberch, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz are set to join the squad during the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
Speaking after Liverpool arrived in Chicago on Monday for a two-week training camp, the Reds head coach outlined when he expects to begin working with the players who were granted extended breaks following their World Cup commitments.
Iraola confirmed that Gravenberch, Isak and Wirtz will link up with the squad in the coming days as preparations continue ahead of the new season.
“The three players that are going to join us are going to be [in the] second week fully with us,” Iraola told a press conference on Tuesday.
“The ones that were [eliminated] from the World Cup, they all – because of different reasons – have individual days for their arrivals, but I think the sooner we can start working with them and they can understand what we want from them the better.
“Individually I talked with the three of them, they know the main things, but I am looking forward to having them here with the group and to go slowly, slowly with recovering bodies [to the squad].”
Alisson Becker, Cody Gakpo and Virgil van Dijk are on a similar schedule to Gravenberch, Isak and Wirtz regarding their return to pre-season training.
However, the trio will begin their preparations at the AXA Training Centre while their Liverpool teammates continue the club’s tour of North America ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Andoni Iraola explained: “They will, in terms of dates of training, be very similar but they will start training at the AXA in Liverpool.
“Because of different reasons, especially Virgil because he has been the player with most minutes in Europe I would say, and Cody for other reasons, they are going to start training basically in the same week as the others but instead of making them come here with the team, we considered that it was sensible with them to start the first week training with a small group or even with younger players that are at the AXA and join us when we [return].”
Having featured in Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, Alexis Mac Allister and new signing Victor Munoz will be the final players to return to Liverpool’s squad after being given a period of rest.
Iraola acknowledged that their delayed returns mean they may not be fully prepared for the Premier League opener against Newcastle United at St James’ Park on August 23.
However, the Liverpool head coach remains confident that the rest of the squad will be in good condition ahead of the new season.
“In the end, I think the most difficult situations logically will be Alexis and Victor because they played until the end of the tournament, so I think they deserve their holidays and some rest also,” said the head coach.
“I hope they have time to at least train with us a little bit, but it is true that it will probably affect the beginning of the season a little bit.
“We cannot only think in the short term and the first game against Newcastle; we have to also understand, especially in the case of Alexis, who played a lot of minutes during the season and a lot of minutes in the World Cup, that they deserve this rest.
“All the others should be fine to arrive in perfect conditions to the first game.”
Read more: Andoni Iraola dismisses talk of Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson leaving Liverpool
Andoni Iraola confirms Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike face months on sidelines
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos approached to join consortium in talks to buy stake in Liverpool
