Liverpool youngsters will be desperate to impress Arne Slot as he ramps up pre-season preparations.
Slot has been working with the young Liverpool players as he waits for his bigger stars to arrive back from their holidays.
For a lot of those prospects, it will be the only time they are afforded the opportunity to work with the new Liverpool head coach.
However, others will genuinely feel that they can use these few weeks without most of the first-team squad to lay down a marker for the season ahead.
One of the areas where Slot will perhaps be most intrigued is at goalkeeper, where he has a few big decisions to make for Liverpool this summer.
Marcelo Pitaluga’s loan spell assessed
Nothing is set in stone yet in regards to Liverpool’s goalkeeping hierarchy for 2024/25. Even Alisson Becker’s future is not yet certain as interest continues from Saudi Arabia.
Despite claims that Al Nassr are pushing hard to sign Alisson though, it seems highly likely that the Brazilian will still be the Reds’ No.1 for another year at the very least.
Beyond that though, Caoimhin Kelleher has suggested he’d like to leave and the Irishman could do with being a No.1 somewhere.
Third choice for the past few seasons, Adrian has already left Liverpool. As a result, there could be opportunities opening up for youngsters.
The first in-line to fill the third choice spot is surely Vitezslav Jaros. The 22-year-old was excellent on-loan at Sturm Graz in the second half of last season and deserves to make the step up.
Then there’s Marcelo Pitaluga. If Jaros’ loan went well in 2023/24, then Pitaluga’s certainly did not. The Brazilian played just seven times for St Patrick’s Athletic before being recalled.
READ MORE: Liverpool double asking price to sell Caoimhin Kelleher
Speaking to The Redmen TV about Pitaluga’s ill-fated loan though, former St Pats player Conan Byrne said that it wasn’t all bad from the 21-year-old in Ireland.
“From speaking to people within the club in training he was outstanding,” says Byrne. “He just didn’t transfer it over to matches during those early periods. It was unfortunate that he didn’t get a second chance, probably just because there was a change of manager as well.
“Even the game that I covered up in Derry, albeit when the balls were put in on top of him he wasn’t coming for his crosses, when the ball was at his feet you could see there was quality there,” he adds.
“A bit like Caoimhin [Kelleher] at Liverpool where he’s very good with the ball at his feet and playing it out from the back. He always wanted to play out from the back.
“I just think it was a step up from playing on-loan at Macclesfield and the developmental league at Liverpool. To make that massive step up and making those early mistakes really damaged his confidence and it was difficult to come back from that.”
What next for Marcelo Pitaluga?
Even with two spots potentially opening up at Liverpool next season, we don’t think Pitaluga will be considered to fill either of them.
The youngster is indeed back in training at the AXA Training Centre with the rest of his teammates.
However, from Byrne’s words, it sounds fairly clear that Pitaluga really needs to play more games to build his confidence as a ‘keeper in men’s football.
Just a year older than Pitaluga, Jaros already looks far more ready to be given some responsibility for Liverpool.
Should Kelleher go, Jaros could be promoted or Liverpool could look to a new signing. Andriy Lunin of Real Madrid is a rumoured target. For Pitaluga, another loan should be on the cards, one where he’s definitely going to play.
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