Liverpool will officially begin their preparations for the new season on Tuesday at the AXA Training Centre with those not involved in the latter stages of the World Cup keen to usher in a new era under Andoni Iraola.
There is only a week between the first few sessions on Merseyside and the squad’s departure for the United States for their pre-season tour meaning every day will be crucial for new signings to settle in and returning players to prove their worth under the new head coach.
The opening days of pre-season are always a blend of familiar faces, new arrivals and academy prospects hoping to make an impression.
With several senior internationals still away following summer commitments and others working their way back from injury, Liverpool’s first group is expected to be smaller than the squad supporters will see later this month.
Between the sticks, Liverpool are expected to begin pre-season with a fresh-looking goalkeeping unit.
Giorgi Mamardashvili should be joined by fellow summer arrival Freddie Woodman, while highly-rated Hungarian youngster Armin Pecsi is also set to be involved as Iraola assesses his options ahead of the new season.
Defensively, Jeremy Jacquet has already proved his fitness after beginning work with Liverpool’s Under-21s and is now expected to train alongside the senior group.
He will be joined by Joe Gomez, new signing Milos Kerkez, fellow arrival Jeremie Frimpong and Kostas Tsimikas, who returns for the opening phase of preparations after a season long loan spell at AS Roma.
Liverpool’s midfield will also feature several recognisable names.
Harvey Elliott is expected to report back with the first-team squad after his spell away with Aston Villa last season, while Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Trey Nyoni and James McConnell are all set to be available from day one.
There are fewer options further forward, however. Federico Chiesa and highly-rated teenager Rio Ngumoha are expected to be the only established first-team attacking options present for the opening sessions.
Several youngsters are expected to be handed that opportunity, with Josh Abe, Jayden Danns, Kieran Morrison, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Lewis Koumas and Will Wright all in line to help bulk out training and potentially stake a claim for involvement throughout the campaign.
Not everyone will be available immediately, though. Vitezslav Jaros, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endo, Stefan Bajcetic and Hugo Ekitike are all expected to miss the opening day through injury.
Liverpool’s squad should strengthen considerably once they arrive in the United States, where captain Virgil van Dijk is expected to link up with Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo.
Alisson is due back slightly later, while Alexis Mac Allister and Munoz may not be available until around the middle of August due to their deep runs into this summer’s World Cup.
As the new season approaches, it will be exciting to see the Reds gradually assemble their full-strength squad ahead of the Premier League campaign.