Inside Liverpool's pre-season plans as Iraola starts work
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New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has arrived at the club's AXA Training Centre, with most of the first-team players and staff due to report back to Merseyside next week on July 14.That will give the Spaniard just over a month with his squad before Liverpool's first Premier League game, which is away at Newcastle on August 23.So what does the next month or so look like for Iraola and Liverpool?After the in-person introductions, one of the first things that will happen will be the individual assessments for the players on their return before the hard work begins. The Spaniard is trusted by Iraola and will play a major role in ensuring that the Liverpool players are physically ready for playing the brand of football for which he is known.Last month, De La Torre told Spanish publication AS, external: "He (Iraola) is incredibly intelligent, leads by example, and has a rare emotional stability in such a visceral sport.
A simple eye test was enough to gauge that Liverpool lacked identity and the regularity of boos at Anfield were all factors that led to the end for Slot.Key to Liverpool's revival will be bringing excitement back to Anfield and the signing of Victor Munoz, who said that his directness was a big part of what Iraola liked, suggests that there is already an awareness that his side will need to take risks in order to break down low blocks.More incomings are expected, as well as outgoings, with Iraola keen to assess the current squad over the coming weeks. The French centre-back has successfully completed a rehabilitation programme following a shoulder injury and is expected to play a part in pre-season.The likes of captain Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak were all eliminated in the round-of-32 and are expected to join up with the squad after their time off, when Liverpool depart for their pre-season tour of USA on July 20 - a day after the World Cup final.With Brazil losing to Norway in the round-of-16, Alisson Becker is also expected to join up later on, while a few of the players who have been in rehabilitation, such as Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo have already been at the training ground over the summer.Hugo Ekitike, another long-term absentee, has spent time working with a physiotherapist in Los Angeles as he makes progress on his recovery from his Achilles injury.
The Frenchman is planning to report for sessions with Liverpool's medical department before the start of the season.One of Iraola's priorities will be to determine whether Jacquet or Leoni are ready to start regularly alongside Virgil van Dijk once the season begins. Liverpool firmly believe in the potential of 20-year-old Jacquet and 19-year-old Leoni but it will be an immense ask to instantly be regulars at Premier League level.Leoni's debut at Anfield last season was ruined by an anterior cruciate ligament injury and while no date has been set on his return, the belief is that he will be able to play a part in pre-season at some point.As it stands, Iraola has a press conference scheduled in Chicago that will take place on July 21, with Liverpool's first friendly then taking place against Sunderland on July 25 in Nashville before games against Wrexham in New York and Leeds in Chicago.