Arne Slot has welcomed several players back to Liverpool training this Wednesday.
Two members of the Liverpool squad have advanced their recovery from injuries as the team prepares to defend their Premier League title.
Slot’s team will begin their league campaign on Friday night with a home match against Bournemouth, following their penalty shootout loss to Crystal Palace in last weekend’s Community Shield.
Ryan Gravenberch missed that match because his first child was born the previous night. Although he returned to training today, he will not play against Bournemouth due to a suspension carried over from a red card he received in the final game of the 2024/25 season.
Liverpool players return to training after injury setbacks
Also present at Wednesday’s session at the AXA Training Centre were Joe Gomez and James McConnell, both of whom had their pre-season affected by injuries.
Photos shared on Liverpool’s official site showed Gomez participating in group gym exercises after being sidelined recently with an Achilles injury.
Similarly, McConnell has resumed training with the first team after missing pre-season due to an ankle problem.
A positive sign for Liverpool despite no immediate involvement on Friday
Though neither Gomez nor McConnell is expected to play against Bournemouth, their return to training is encouraging and they could potentially be included in the squad if needed.
Gomez’s comeback will be especially important since he is one of only three senior centre-backs Liverpool currently have. However, this may improve if the club successfully signs Marc Guehi and Giovanni Leoni before the month ends.
Gomez is about to enter his 11th season with Liverpool, but McConnell is likely to be loaned out for the 2025/26 season amid interest from clubs in the Championship and Germany (Lewis Steele).
Once Gravenberch’s suspension ends and Slot has his full midfield lineup available, it’s unlikely the 20-year-old will get much game time at Anfield this season — not due to lack of talent, but because of stiff competition.
With Liverpool expected to play at least 50 matches this season, possibly over 60 if they advance far in knockout competitions, having a deep squad and managing players’ minutes carefully will be crucial. Even those who aren’t regular starters will be needed at various points.
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