Liverpool door open for two players as Andoni Iraola considers more options

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Liverpool will be missing key players at the start of pre-season and that will give a chance to two players in particularThe dark side of the moon, as one former sports editor used to call it. With the World Cup now approaching the nitty gritty and still almost three weeks before Liverpool are expected to return to the AXA Training Centre to begin pre-season training, this is a time for those not involved in North America to rest, recuperate and detox from the last campaign and start looking towards the new term.For the Reds, of course, it represents another fresh start with Arne Slot having been sacked after a disappointing Premier League title defence and replaced by Andoni Iraola, who led Bournemouth to sixth place and European qualification for the first time.As is usually the case during summers of major international tournaments, when the Liverpool squad reconvenes at Kirkby it will be missing a host of senior members, which will open the door - at least for a short while - for fringe players, youngsters and new signings to stake their claim.Who, though, should be most looking to grasp their opportunity?

Our ECHO writers take a look...Paul GorstLiverpool will be particularly light on centre-backs this summer having lost Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid at the end of his contract.Virgil van Dijk is now the only real senior centre-half in the squad, if we discount the long-serving and versatile Joe Gomez, and the Reds captain will be away enjoying an end-of-season holiday this pre-season, regardless of how far the Netherlands go in the World Cup.And with Giovanni Leoni still on the comeback trail after an ACL injury last year during his only Liverpool appearance to date, the opportunity is there for Jeremy Jacquet to make himself a star this summer.Of course, at a £60million price point, that will be expected of him in time, but the Frenchman will have only just turned 21 when the club fly out to Chicago on July 20 and will return to action having had shoulder surgery earlier this year that ended his campaign early with Rennes.So expecting him to immediately be the finished article might be unrealistic and it is understandable why many supporters are hopeful of another senior centre-half arriving before the window shuts as a result.But while Leoni's convalescence goes on and Van Dijk is stuck to his sun lounger, the pre-season programme is a big chance for Jacquet to show what he is all about and prove that he can become the next first-choice partner for the legendary captain.The Reds feel they have secured the best young defender in France by stealing a march on Chelsea for Jacquet. He will have the chance to show why Stateside.Ian DoylePre-season is very often the time of the year when memories are jogged and refreshed with players who were out of sight and out of mind suddenly thrust to the fore once again.And that is very much the case for Stefan Bajectic, who has had a miserable time in recent years due to injury and subsequent lack of action.It's remarkable to think the midfielder hasn't started a Premier League in more than three years and still remains four months away from turning 22.Last season was particularly tough for Bajcetic, who didn't kick a ball at any level as he recovered from major hamstring surgery that cut short an encouraging loan spell at Las Palmas the previous year after a disappointing brief spell with Red Bull Salzburg.The Spaniard, though, is now ready for a return having earlier this month posted on social media several photos of himself at the AXA Training Centre with the caption "back on track".

He continues to follow an individual training programme in preparation for pre-season.Worth bearing in mind, however, is Bajcetic has played a mere 97 minutes for Liverpool since March 2023, and has only ever started six Premier League games in midfield - only two of which were in a defensive role.The Reds have had three different managers since his last top-flight start, although Andoni Iraola's preference for two deeper central midfielders means there could be openings during the warm-up programme.For Bajectic, though, the chief aim will be to get back on the pitch and remind himself more than anyone else of why he was so celebrated on his first-team breakthrough as a 17-year-old.