Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has provided an update on when some of his stars will return from their holidays having competed in Euro 2024 and Copa America this summer.
Pre-season has not been ideal for Slot as the Dutch coach would have wanted a full squad to work with heading into the 2024/25 campaign.
The former Feyenoord boss would have hoped to get his ideas across to his new team as quickly as possible but the summer tournaments have delayed that, which could compromise the start of the Merseyside club’s season.
Slot has been working with a limited number of Liverpool’s best 11 in recent weeks and speaking to the press on Thursday ahead of the Reds’ match with Real Betis in Pittsburgh on Friday night, the Dutch coach has provided an update on when all of his players are returning.
The 45-year-old confirmed that Diogo Jota will join up with the rest of the Liverpool squad in Pittsburgh on Thursday but won’t feature against Betis.
Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch are due to link up with the Premier League team in Philadelphia ahead of games against Arsenal and Man United.
However, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz will miss the entire tour of the United States and will start their pre-season schedule back in Liverpool
“Diogo is arriving today. He will have his testing day tomorrow and then join us for the sessions the day after,” Slot told the media via The Athletic.
“Ibou and Ryan will join us later in the trip. Alisson will also start at the AXA with the others.”
Big task ahead for Arne Slot at Liverpool
Liverpool’s pre-season preparations will make Slot’s job at Anfield a little harder at the beginning but there will be more than enough time for the Dutch coach to get his big stars in line with his ideas in order for the Merseyside club to achieve their goals this season.
It was always going to be hard for the successor of Jurgen Klopp as the legendary figure’s influence at Liverpool went beyond football.
A top-four finish and a deep run in the Champions League should be considered a success for the Reds ahead of the upcoming campaign, but overall fans of the Merseyside club should be excited about life with Slot even if his first season is a tough one.