Arne Slot is about to conduct his first pre-season, with Liverpool players not at summer tournaments due back early next month.
The Reds then head to the US for two weeks where they’ll face Real Betis, Arsenal and Manchester United before hosting Sevilla at Anfield back on Merseyside. These games will be chance for Slot to have a real look over the squad he has at his disposal with new arrivals and departures certain this summer.
This will be an opportunity for those on the fringes to prove they are ready to help Slot. But who will be extra keen to impress the new boss and hope to push their way into his plans for the first-team starting spot this season?
Mirror Football takes a look at five players who will be eager to shine Stateside and in training to get a proper chance this term...
STEFAN BAJCETIC
One of the bright sparks of a tough season for Liverpool in 2022-23 was the emergence of young Spanish midfielder Bajcetic.
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The teenager was impressive as he stepped in when Fabinho moved into a central defensive role as the Reds’ injuries in the back line took hold.
There was great excitement about what he could do in the following campaign but then injury struck and he missed the whole of last season.
Now he’s back to full fitness, he will be keen to show Slot he can fit into his midfield plans and pre-season will be the time to do it.
Alexis Mac Allister will be due an extended break as the Argentina ace is at the Copa America and Dominik Szoboszlai may also be given time off after his Euros exploits with Hungary, similarly Ryan Gravenberch. Certainly expected to see some action in America.
Carvalho enjoyed a good loan spell at Hull (Daniel Chesterton/Offside)FABIO CARVALHO
Sent out on loan last season, the former Fulham man didn’t get the opportunities at RB Leipzig so returned and then headed to Hull for the second half of the campaign.
Carvalho impressed in the Championship but the 21-year-old winger will now be hoping he can get his chance at Liverpool this season.
Slot is expected to have a look at the young Portugal player in pre-season before deciding if he needs to go out on loan again or if he can get enough minutes in his team this term.
Carvalho arrived from Fulham in 2022 with a fair bit of fanfare but has yet to really show his promise but now with more first-team experience behind him he could be ready.
There will be chances on tour as Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz will all be joining up late after summer tournaments.
Klopp was a big fan of Gordon (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)KAIDE GORDON
Gordon signed a new long-term contract in May so it’s clear Liverpool have big hopes for the 19-year-old attacker.
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It looked like he was ready to have his breakthrough in the 2021-22 campaign when he became the club’s youngest ever scorer in the FA Cup and then started against Arsenal in the League Cup semi-final.
But a pelvic growth problem sidelined him for 18 months and curtailed his development. Now he will be hoping the new manager will have his eye out for young talent to give chances in pre-season with so many key players on longer breaks.
He impressed last season on his return from injury and got first-team chances as well as starring for the U21s. But now he will be hoping to get his chance to show Slot he can do something with the first team this season on a more consistent basis.
Chambers has had some chances in the first team (ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)LUKE CHAMBERS
The left-back enjoyed a spell at Wigan last season on loan but will hope he can impress Slot now to get more chances at Liverpool. Andy Robertson is obviously the key man in the left-back role with Joe Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas also there in the position.
But Chambers will be hoping he could play a role in cup games this season but first must show what he can do to Slot. There will be chances to play in America and show he can have a first-team impact rather than another loan spell.
Doak was in the Scotland squad for the Euros but withdrew with injury (George Wood/Getty Images)BEN DOAK
A serious knee problem wrecked his season and then he missed out on the Euros with Scotland through injury, too. But the 18-year-old forward will be hoping that’s all behind him and he’s fit and raring to go in pre-season.
Doak played five games last pre-season, clocking up 180 minutes for the Reds and then had some brief chances in the first team.
Then the injury came in a U21 clash with Chelsea which meant he had to sit out the rest of the campaign. But he will be hoping to show Slot what he can do with more action in the campaign warm-up games.
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