Andoni Iraola looks to have made his mind up on which Liverpool youngsters will join the first-team
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As a result, Andoni Iraola can now begin to ramp up preparations for the season.Part of that is trimming the Liverpool squad down from the group which travelled to America to one which Iraola will work with on a day-to-day basis at the AXA Training Centre. What has been your main takeaway from Liverpool’s pre-season under Andoni Iraola?
Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images Young players are the ones who will inevitably make way for that to happen, and having cast his eye over a large number of Liverpool prospects during the three pre-season friendlies so far, Iraola looks to have decided that four will continue with the first-team for the time being.Four youngsters make the cut for IraolaOne of Liverpool’s youngsters was arguably the most impressive player of all during the US tour. All were involved during Wednesday’s session at the AXA.Excluding those players, the four young talents who look to have caught Iraola’s attention so far – and took part with the full squad on Wednesday – are Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Kieran Morrison, Lewis Koumas and Luke Chambers.READ MORE: Liverpool fans pick the youngster they want to join the first-team squad after watching them in pre-seasonThe inclusion of Ndukwe is perhaps the most notable.
The 22-year-old did well at centre-back, and with Jeremy Jacquet still not involved, there is definitely the potential for some minutes during Sunday’s friendly with Monaco.Koumas and Morrison will also have their eye on a run-out at Anfield. Though Liverpool look to have ramped up their efforts to bring some more attackers to the club, forward options are still a little thin on the ground, and that could be good news for the pair.Reported interest in Ibrahim Mbaye could spell a loan move for Morrison, but until anything is confirmed, the 19-year-old still has a chance to impress in training.Koumas, meanwhile, showed himself as a potential option through the middle of the attack, and it was great to see the Scouser included during Wednesday’s session.Other players will no doubt be in Iraola’s thinking as well, with the likes of Calum Scanlon and, indeed, Ndiaye, potentially still in with a shout of greater involvement.But, for the time being, Ndukwe, Chambers, Morrison and Koumas look to be the ones most likely to make the breakthrough first.