Liverpool started its 2026/27 preseason training this week under new manager Andoni Iraola, with many popular old faces missing but also a few veterans ready to step into the spotlight
01:25, 15 Jul 2026
Dominik Szoboszlai
Dominik Szoboszlai seemed to be leaning into the Liverppol leadership power vacuum in preseason training(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool returned to the AXA Training Center as the team began its preseason preparations under new coach Andoni Iraola.
Many key faces of recent Reds teams were missing, either for joining new teams (Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson) or for extended vacations after the 2026 World Cup (Virgil Van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch, Alisson Becker, Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz).
Veteran leaders were still present: Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai seemed to be the two best-received players by both the Liverpool staff and players.
New signing Jeremy Jacquet was amongst the 15 first-teamers present. So was the returning Harvey Elliott, who spent last year on loan at Aston Villa.
Here’s what else we spotted from Liverpool’s latest preseason training session…
Kostas Tsimikas with a new hairstyle
Tsimikas has undergone many different hairstyles since Liverpool signed him from Olympiacos as a 24-year-old back in 2020. The 30-year-old was rocking dreadlocks — tied in a bun — on his AXA return.
He fraternized with many of his longtime Reds teammates, including Szobozslai and Curtis Jones, as he returned from his year-long loan spell at Roma, where he had mixed opportunities for playing time.
Kostas Tsimikas
Dominik Szoboszlai greets Kostas Tsimikas at Liverpool training(Image: Getty Images)
Gio Leoni looking hench
Giovanni Leoni lasted just 81 minutes with Liverpool last season before tearing his ACL in a League Cup fixture against Southampton.
Admittedly, the 19-year-old looked like an in-shape tank at AXA in Tuesday's video. Iraola described the young Italian as part of a group of players he considers "long-term solutions" in their return from injuries.
Giovanni Leoni
Giovanni Leoni is finally back healthy (Image: Getty Images)
Curtis Jones, fresh tan, fresh approach
Jones is now 25 and one of the longest-tenured players in the Liverpool team. He was subject to a handful of transfer rumors last season, including one to Inter Milan that appeared to have legitimate legs.
Iraola backed the Scouse midfielder in his presser. "I rate Curtis very highly," the Spanish coach said. "For me, he is a great, great player, and I hope he can continue with us and continue performing the way he has been performing."
Curtis Jones
Curtis Jones showed off his new tan at Liverpool training(Image: Getty Images)
"It’s very important that he’s Scouse, that he’s from here. I also like the personality..... I hope we can keep him, not only for this year but for more time."
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Jones showed off a new tan at training on Tuesday — he recently attended a Monaco F1 race — and aced the running training. Expect Jones to feature heavily this season.
Joe Gomez, the vet
Gomez is the longest-tenured player in the Liverpool squad by over two years, having joined from Charlton Athletic in 2015, when he was a teenager (Van Dijk joined in the 2018 Winter Window).
The England international has long battled fitness and injury issues over his lengthy career with the Reds, but looked thin and spry in Tuesday's video, running with relative ease. He could be a key rotation piece in defense for Iraola throughout the long season.