It’s now just over a week until Andoni Iraola meets his Liverpool players for the first time as head coach.
The Reds appointed Iraola last month after Arne Slot was relieved of his duties at the end of May following a disappointing campaign that saw the defending Premier League champions lose 12 matches and finish fifth.
Iraola will be without Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo after the Dutch trio were eliminated in the last 32 of the World Cup earlier this week. Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak will also be absent.
Liverpool typically grant players three weeks’ leave after international tournaments, meaning all five are now enjoying a well-earned break before returning later this month.
The quintet are expected to join the squad during the second week of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States, where the Reds will face Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United in Nashville, New York and Chicago, respectively.
Alisson Becker, Alexis Mac Allister and new signing Victor Munoz are still involved at the World Cup.
Wataru Endo, Giovanni Leoni and Stefan Bajcetic have been using the facilities at the AXA Training Centre in recent days, while new signing Jeremy Jacquet will begin pre-season after completing his £60 million move from Rennes on July 1.
Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Viteslav Jaros are also expected back for rehabilitation work after suffering serious injuries last season.
Jaros is recovering from an ACL injury sustained while at Ajax, Ekitike continues his recovery from a ruptured Achilles, and Bradley has been sidelined since January.
Fifteen-year-old winger Joshua Abe is expected to be part of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States.
Iraola will also have several senior players available from day one, including Hungary duo Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai, along with Jeremie Frimpong, who was not part of the Netherlands’ World Cup squad.
Below is how the squad could shape up on July 13 for pre-season training:
Goalkeepers: Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman, Armin Pecsi, Kornel Misciur, Harvey Davies.
Defenders: Joe Gomez, Jeremie Frimpong , Jeremy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni, Milos Kerkez, Kostas Tsimikas, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Amara Nallo, Wellity Lucky, Calvin Ramsay, Luke Chambers, Owen Beck.
Midfielders: Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Trey Nyoni, Stefan Bajcetic, James McConnell.
Forwards: Rio Ngumoha, Federico Chiesa, Will Wright, Jayden Danns, Lewis Koumas, Keyrol Figueroa, Kieran Morrison, Kaide Gordon, Joshua Abe.
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