5 things spotted in Liverpool training as Iraola gives injury update and wonderkids involved

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Andoni Iraola has offered a Liverpool injury update, with the Reds back in training ahead of next season and preparing for the Premier League opener at Newcastle on August 23Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola during a training session.(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Liverpool has returned for pre-season training and Andoni Iraola has been working with the first lot of players to return, with plenty still absent due to World Cup commitments."I think we need them to understand what we need, to implement what we want," Iraola said. "We also have to learn a lot from them."We have to know very well the players, where they are more comfortable, what we need to reinforce more, and what we need to change.

The more we can spend time here on the pitch and working with the ball is going to be better for us."This is what we spotted during the session at the AXA just over a week before the first pre-season friendly of the summer.Young players involvedThe idea that Arne Slot had no interest in Liverpool's academy was incredibly overblown and used as a stick to beat him with, but Iraola appears to have gone out of his way to show that he is keeping an eye on things.He oversaw U21s training with Rob Page before the senior stars started to come back, and, as is the norm at this stage of the summer, several youngsters have been filling in the gaps in first-team sessions.On Thursday, Josh Abe, Josh Sonni-Lambie, Will Wright, Lewis Koumas, Luke Chambers, Kieran Morrison, James McConnell, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Tommy Pilling were among the academy players to be involved in the session.Abe, who Liverpool had to fight to keep amid strong interest from Chelsea, Manchester City and others, is comfortably the youngest at 15, but could go on the upcoming pre-season tour to the US.Content cannot be displayed without consentLiverpool transfer decisionsWhile there was a lack of senior players in training — more on that shortly — lots will come back in the next week or two after their post-World Cup holidays.There are gaps that need filling in the transfer market, of course, but the Reds are not as short of numbers as these early sessions would suggest, which means some decisions on exits will be made alongside more incomings.Morrison, Koumas and Chambers are three who are likely to draw more loan interest (or possibly even permanent), with the latter two having impressed in the EFL in recent stints. Morrison could do with a temporary exit to gain regular senior experience.Dominik Szoboszlai positionWith several senior players still at the World Cup, Szoboszlai, fresh from the news emerging of him being close to penning a new contract at Anfield, is probably the biggest name present.The Hungarian has the advantage of having been in from day one of pre-season, meaning he has longest of those likely to play most often to work with Iraola.Additionally, now that Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson have moved on, there is a leadership void to be filled.

He can't be that far away having been out since last September.Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni ready to step upWhile there will need to be new signings at Liverpool before the new season starts, there are lots of youngsters willing to step up. He is an assured and steady head in midfield and should suit what Iraola wants.