Liverpool forward returns to training after long-term injury blow

Liverpool forward returns to training after long-term injury blow Kaide Gordon Returns as Liverpool Face Major Decision Over Winger Liverpool have spent much of the summer considering what needs to be added to Andoni Iraola’s squad. In Kaide Gordon’s case, the question is rather different. What happens next? Gordon has returned to training with Liverpool’s Under-21s following nine months on the sidelines with a meniscus injury. At 21, and with only one year remaining on his contract, his comeback arrives at a particularly significant moment for both player and club. Gordon Back in Liverpool Training Gordon tore his meniscus in December and subsequently faced a lengthy rehabilitation programme which wiped out the second half of last season. Returning to training does not mean Gordon is immediately ready for competitive football. After nine months out, Liverpool will need to manage his workload carefully as he rebuilds fitness, confidence and match sharpness. Still, getting him back on the grass matters. Photo: IMAGO Liverpool already have several injury concerns at the beginning of the 2026-27 campaign. Hugo Ekitike remains unavailable following the Achilles injury suffered last season, Giovanni Leoni continues his rehabilitation from a serious knee problem, while Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez are also among those unavailable. For Gordon, however, the bigger issue concerns his longer-term Liverpool future. Injuries Have Changed Gordon’s Liverpool Story It is worth remembering how highly Gordon was regarded when he first emerged. He became Liverpool’s youngest FA Cup goalscorer when he scored against Shrewsbury Town in January 2022. He was still only 17 and appeared to be another teenager capable of establishing himself around the senior squad. Liverpool subsequently underlined their faith in him with a contract extension in May 2024. Progress since then has been frustratingly fragmented. Injuries have repeatedly interrupted his development, while loan spells at Norwich City and Portsmouth failed to produce the sustained senior football required at such an important stage of his career. That context matters when assessing Gordon now. At 21, he remains young enough to recover lost ground, although the margin for another season dominated by rehabilitation and sporadic appearances is becoming increasingly narrow. Iraola Must Assess Gordon’s Next Step Liverpool’s decision therefore goes beyond determining whether Gordon is talented enough. The question is whether there is a realistic pathway towards meaningful minutes at Anfield. His return to training gives Iraola and Liverpool an opportunity to assess where Gordon stands physically and technically after such a lengthy absence. With the transfer deadline approaching, they may not have much time to reach their conclusion. For Gordon, simply returning to the pitch represents an important milestone after nine difficult months. What follows could determine whether his Liverpool story receives another chapter, or whether that long-awaited return to training becomes the beginning of something new elsewhere.