A round-up of the latest Liverpool news as Arne Slot suffers a pre-season blow with Virgil van Dijk and a first-team star is urged to secure a transfer away from Anfield.
Mohamad Salah’s fitness stunned Liverpool coach Conall Murtagh
Liverpool first-team fitness coach Conall Murtagh has been hailing the shape that Mohamed Salah has returned for pre-season training in. That is according to The Athletic, which claims that Murtagh could not help but dub Salah ‘phenomenal’ following a six-minute fitness test.
Salah completed the furthest distance of any Liverpool star already back at the AXA Training Centre during the test. Sepp van den Berg had held the top spot on the leaderboard but lost it following the Egyptian King’s later return to Merseyside as Salah reported back on July 10.
Some Liverpool players had returned for pre-season at the AXA Training Centre on July 5 for the first sessions Arne Slot oversaw. Yet Salah caught straight up to leave Murtagh in awe as he returned in great condition. He is also setting the example in the gym and on the pitches.
Read more about how Salah has impressed Liverpool’s coaching staff in training, here.
Virgil van Dijk among nine Liverpool players missing USA pre-season tour
Virgil van Dijk is one of nine senior Liverpool players now set to miss their pre-season tour of the USA. That is also according to The Athletic, which claims that the Dutchman is not set to return to Merseyside until a few days before the Reds’ summer tour of America has finished.
Liverpool will not see Van Dijk plus Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch report for pre-season in time to fly out after the Netherlands made the semi-finals of Euro 2024. Ibrahima Konate also helped France into the final four and is, likewise, now on his three-week holiday period.
Having helped England to reach the Euro 2024 final, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez also only started their holidays on Monday. Likewise, Alexis Mac Allister of Argentina played Colombia’s Luis Diaz in the Copa America final, where Darwin Nunez of Uruguay came third.
Those who made the Euro 2024 final and the final stages of the Copa America will not head back to Liverpool for pre-season until after Arne Slot’s side return from the USA. Then, they will undergo their fitness tests ahead of Liverpool’s first Premier League game on August 17.
Read more about the Liverpool players not going on their USA pre-season tour, here.
Heimir Hallgrimsson urges Caoimhin Kelleher to secure a transfer away from Liverpool
The new Republic of Ireland head coach, Heimir Hallgrimsson, has told Caoimhin Kelleher to secure a transfer away from Liverpool. Doubts have surrounded the goalkeeper’s future with the Reds this summer and the Icelandic tactician believes he ‘of course’ should look to leave.
Hallgrimsson has risked damaging the FA of Ireland’s relationship with Liverpool by stating it would be ‘a shame’ if Kelleher does not get regular minutes under Arne Slot now. He is fully convinced that the 25-year-old proved his talent last term amid Alisson Becker’s injury woes.
Kelleher made 10 of his 15 career Premier League appearances last season after stepping in to replace Alisson. But Liverpool are now open to selling Kelleher for £25m, despite holding desires for him to stay. Yet Hallgrimsson believes he must now leave Anfield if not their No1.
Hallgrimsson said, via the Irish Mirror: “Of course, especially when he showed everyone that he can play at the highest level. It would be a shame if he’s not playing regularly after he has already shown everyone how good he is [and] the level he played at.”
Read more about what Hallgrimsson has said about Kelleher’s Liverpool future, here.
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