Liverpool US tour diary - Andoni Iraola to work away from cameras as injured quartet plan clear
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After landing in the United States, Andoni Iraola and his Liverpool players acclimated themselves with a walk around Downtown Chicago on Monday evening.The Reds were inevitably greeted by a number of fans during their stroll around the city but the real scale of the club he has joined will likely be felt later this week for Iraola, when they fly to Nashville for the first of their three friendlies, against Sunderland at GEODIS Park.That game with the Black Cats will be followed by what is expected to be a hugely publicised meeting with Championship side Wrexham, whose popularity has surged this side of the Atlantic since Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds and the creator and star of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Rob McElhenny, took them over in February 2021.After that game at Yankee Stadium on July 30, Iraola and his team finish their tour back in Chicago, against Leeds United on August 2. Both sides were always determined to find an agreement and talks accelerated last week after positive negotiations with sporting director Richard Hughes.The agreement is viewed as hugely positive all around, considering Szoboszlai was one of the few whose level didn't dip last season and talk of the Hungary captain being promoted into a leadership role within the squad has been floated to reflect his growing importance and stature within the group.Iraola will have to name a vice captain to club skipper Van Dijk at some point and Szoboszlai could be one of the front runners as he approaches his fourth season.
The player's agent, however, has steered clear of making those calls, insisting leaders grow organically within squads."I don't believe in talking about leadership roles because they evolve naturally," Szoboszlai's agent, Matyas Esterhazy, tells winwin.com. "I don't believe in talking about it too much because a leader remains a leader even when you don't talk about it."We know that Liverpool's leadership is one of the best in the world, with Virgil van Dijk as captain, and that's the reality.
I think he's ready to step up and take over on the leadership side as well. Leadership comes to you when you are a leader.