Three Liverpool stars have already returned ahead of pre-season training

Three Liverpool stars have already returned ahead of pre-season training Wataru Endo back early as Andoni Iraola begins Liverpool pre-season reset Liverpool are back on the training ground, or at least some of them are, and that matters more than people think. According to Liverpool.com, Wataru Endo, Giovanni Leoni and Stefan Bajcetic have all reported to the AXA Training Centre ahead of the wider squad return. For a new head coach walking into a dressing room that needs clarity, intensity and quick assessment, early arrivals are useful. Andoni Iraola does not have the luxury of time. He takes over with a squad that needs sorting, several players still away, and a pre-season that will be about decisions as much as fitness. Endo, in particular, stands out. He has a year left on his contract and needs to make a case. His previous campaign ended after an injury suffered at Sunderland in February, and with competition in midfield, every session counts. Leoni and Bajcetic are different cases, but just as important. Leoni suffered an ACL injury on his only competitive Liverpool appearance last September. Bajcetic has had persistent fitness problems for around two years. There is no need for hype here, only realism. If either player can build momentum and show they are physically ready, it changes the numbers available to Iraola and gives Liverpool internal solutions before they look outside. Photo IMAGO Iraola faces early Liverpool squad assessment The timing is awkward but standard for a summer shaped by international football. Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson Becker remain at the World Cup. New signing Victor Munoz is still with Spain, although he has yet to feature because of a minor injury. Jeremy Jacquet, signed for $83 million, or £60 million, is expected in from day one. Others should be available immediately. Dominik Szoboszlai and Milos Kerkez did not qualify for the World Cup, while Jeremie Frimpong was left out of the Netherlands squad. Curtis Jones is back from holiday, with transfer noise around him after interest from Inter Milan, though there has been no breakthrough. That is the landscape. Some players are present, some absent, some uncertain. A new coach has to make sense of all of it quickly. Wataru Endo has a point to prove Endo may not be the headline name, but he is one of the more interesting ones. He is experienced, disciplined and knows what his game is. The question has always been how much a coach values those qualities against the push for more athleticism and more control in possession. This pre-season gives him a clean shot. Iraola’s first comments suggest he is starting with a practical mindset. “For me, it’s much easier to continue in the Premier League in terms of knowing the squad,” he said in his first interview as Liverpool boss. That should reassure players on the margins. He already has a framework in his head. He added, “We’ve analyzed Liverpool a lot, possible weaknesses, the strengths. I think we have a very good squad.” That is the correct public line, but it also sounds like someone who knows where the gaps are. Liverpool pre-season will shape transfer decisions The most revealing line from Iraola was this, “For me, and I will tell them, [they] are all new signings. For me, you are all new signings and I think we have a lot of quality in our squad, and [I’m] really looking forward to working with them.” That is smart management. It buys engagement early and stops players switching off before they have even trained under him. He also said, “I think there is still work to do, like normally in every club in this moment of the season. But right now, for me the thing is to value especially the players that we have right now in the squad.” Again, blunt and sensible. Before Liverpool spend more, Iraola wants to see what he already owns. There was also a nod to Kerkez, “I only had, I think, Milos in the squad before, I know a couple, I’ve been talking to a couple before, but it will be lovely also to play again with Milos, try to improve him, try to help him in his development. Yeah, definitely looking forward to it.” That tells you familiarity matters, and so does immediate trust. For now, the significant detail is simple. Three players are in early, the new coach is about to get to work, and Liverpool’s summer is moving from theory to evidence. Building Up Pre-Season From a supporter’s perspective, this is exactly what you want to hear at the start of a new era. Players getting back in early, especially lads like Endo, Bajcetic and Leoni, sets the right tone straight away. No drama, no noise, just get in, work hard and show the new boss what you can do. That matters. Endo feels like the sort of player fans always warm to because he gives you honesty. He runs, he competes, he does the ugly bits properly. If Iraola is serious about everybody getting a fresh chance, then Endo absolutely deserves one. Bajcetic is another one supporters will be desperate to see fit. It has been frustrating watching his progress stall through injury, because the talent is obvious. The biggest positive from Iraola’s comments is the message. “For me, you are all new signings” is exactly what this squad needed to hear. It wipes the slate clean and creates competition. Nobody should be coasting, nobody should be assuming they are untouchable, and nobody should think they are finished before pre-season starts. There is real excitement about seeing what this group looks like under a coach with fresh ideas. Liverpool still have quality, still have depth in key areas, and if a few of these returning players can stay fit, the squad will immediately look healthier. Pre-season is where standards are set. Early signs suggest Iraola wants standards, intensity and honest evaluation. Good. That is how it should be at Liverpool. Source: Liverpool.com