Conor Bradley is on course to return for Liverpool in time for pre-season as the right-back takes the next steps in his recovery from a serious knee injury.
Bradley required surgery to correct the damage sustained in the 0-0 draw with Arsenal in early January, having suffered a significant knee injury.
Ruled out for the rest of the season, his focus since then has been on working on his recovery to rejoin pre-season training.
The 22-year-old is on course to do so, having begun rebuilding the strength in his left leg after months of protection, with Bradley joining his team-mates in the gym at the AXA Training Centre on Thursday.
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Monitored by rehab fitness coach Dr David Rydings and first-team rehab physio David Breen, he worked through exercises on a leg press machine.
This serves as the next milestone in his recovery having been cleared to reintroduce weight-bearing loads on his left knee as well as combating atrophy in his leg muscles.
Conor Bradley: Knee Injury Recovery Timeline
After undergoing surgery in January, Bradley has reached a key milestone by reintroducing weight-bearing exercises to combat atrophy. He is on track to rejoin the squad for the start of pre-season.
Jan: Surgery
Now: Gym Rehab
July: Pre-Season Return
Bradley is currently 3 months into his 6-month recovery window.
Bradley’s next step will likely be increased exercise such as weighted squats before straight-line running on the outdoor pitches at the AXA.
Those developments should come over the next two months, with Bradley then able to take part in non-contact ball work and eventually resume full training with the squad during pre-season.
While the Northern Ireland international would have hoped to return to take part in the World Cup, his country’s defeat to Italy in the playoff semi-finals means they will not be involved at the tournament.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, October 21, 2025: Liverpool's Conor Bradley during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool FC. (Photo by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)
It does however at least allow his reintroduction to be overseen by Liverpool’s medical staff as part of a full pre-season at club level.
Liverpool’s struggles in the right-back position this season have been well-documented and every precaution will be taken when it comes to Bradley’s rehabilitation.
Having found himself in competition with Jeremie Frimpong for the first-choice role, Bradley was arguably the better option for Arne Slot until his injury.
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 4, 2026: Liverpool's Conor Bradley during the pre-match warm-up before the FA Premier League match between Fulham FC and Liverpool FC at Craven Cottage. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Still only 22 and already with 161 games of senior football under his belt despite his fitness issues, he can hope to build further when he returns for Liverpool next season.
Centre-back Giovanni Leoni is also in line to be involved throughout pre-season, with the centre-back having already begun ball work after surgery on a torn ACL in October.
The same applies to Wataru Endo, who is targeting a late-May return following foot ligament surgery and could take part in the World Cup with Japan.