13 hours ago
62
Liverpool won its first pre-season friendly in emotional circumstances as Preston was dispatched 3-1 at Deepdale on July 13, and the Reds' next official preseason game comes this coming weekend, as they travel around the world to face AC Milan in Hong Kong on July 26.
That's ignoring the Darwin Nunez hat-trick in the secret Stoke friendly on Sunday.
A game against Yokohama F. Marinos is next on July 30, before Arne Slot and his players jet back to the UK for friendlies with Athletic Club to round off the club's pre-season preparations. We've picked out a few things to look out for during the remainder of Liverpool's pre-season schedule...
No hiding for Wirtz
Florian Wirtz could end up as the most-expensive Premier League signing of all time, so there is understandably huge excitement among Liverpool fans at the prospect of him making his debut.
Wirtz was omitted from Liverpool's squad for the friendly against Preston, with the club preferring for him to get up to speed on the training ground.
The Germany international figured in Sunday's behind-closed-doors friendly against Stoke City, which Liverpool won 5-0, lining up behind Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Rio Ngumoha before coming off at half-time as Slot fielded an entirely different XI after the pause.
While Wirtz may already have played alongside his teammates, the friendly against Milan will represent the first time fans have seen him play in red, and that will prompt excitement.
Mac Allister injury
Alexis Mac Allister has not played in either of Liverpool's games against Preston or Stoke, having also missed the final two games of last season. Slot confirmed in May that the Argentine had been playing through the pain in the title run-in.
"Alexis will not play for us this season anymore," he said. "He needs rest at this moment in time to recover completely and to be ready for the start of next season, but it will be no problem for him to be back next season.
"I think he played throughout the last part of the season with the Argentinian mentality he has. Never gives up, no matter what he feels, but it is not smart to play a player that has, not a big injury but something to take a risk with."
It is understood that Mac Allister has been training separately since the Reds returned to Kirkby for the start of pre-season, so it will be interesting to see whether he gets any minutes under his belt on the tour.
Ekitike to link up?
Liverpool is close to wrapping up a deal to sign Hugo Ekitike, and the deal is expected to be finalized imminently.
It seems unlikely that Ekitike will be on the flight when Slot and his players jet off to Hong Kong on Sunday night, but one suspects he will fly out and link up with his teammates-to-be at some point this week.
Ekitike is set to become Liverpool's second $100 million-plus signing of the summer, and next season he will play at the tip of a fearsome front four containing Wirtz, Mohamed Salah and, most likely, Cody Gakpo.
What does future hold for Nunez and Diaz?
The left-wing spot seems the least secure of the lot in Liverpool's front four, with either Gakpo or Luis Diaz capable of playing there — but there is no guarantee that Diaz will be at the club next season.
The Colombian clearly wants to leave Liverpool, but a move to Barcelona is now off the table owing to Marcus Rashford's impending move to Catalonia, so it looks like Bayern Munich is his only top-level option in Europe.
Darwin Nunez is up for sale, despite the Uruguayan scoring a hat-trick in the Stoke friendly, but again, it remains unclear where he will end up. As things stand, both men are expected to go on the tour, but beyond that, there is little certainty surrounding either player's future.
English (US) ·