Monday, December 23, 2024

Liverpool given huge pre-season boost with Salah and Endo decisions

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Liverpool will not be without Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo during pre-season as first feared, with the pair left out of their respective squads for the Olympics.

With the European Championship and Copa America already having a big impact on Arne Slot‘s pre-season plans, there had been concern over further disruption.

The Olympics take place in Paris between July 26 and August 11, with a football tournament again part of the Games.

Egypt, Japan and Spain are among the nations taking part, which led to suggestions that Liverpool could lose Salah, Endo and Stefan Bajcetic at a crucial stage.

However, with Wednesday bringing the deadline for managers to name their final squads for the tournament, neither Salah or Endo have been called up.

Mohamed Salah (Credit Image: © Kim Price/Cal Sport Media) (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

Bajcetic had already been left out of the Spain U23s selection, with the decisions over Salah and Endo coming after talks between Liverpool and the Egyptian and Japanese FAs.

Unlike tournaments such as the Euros and Copa America, clubs are not obliged to release players for the Olympics as it does not fall under FIFA rules.

And while Endo had expressed hope that he could join Japan at the Games, it appears as though Liverpool have reached an amicable resolution, with the midfielder instead staying for Slot’s first pre-season as head coach.

It is undoubtedly a boost, with the Dutchman working with his Liverpool squad for the first time and eager to assess every player over the summer.

Salah, Endo and Bajcetic will all therefore report to the AXA Training Centre for the start of pre-season training on Friday, and barring injury should then head to the United States for three warmup friendlies.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, October 4, 2023: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai (L) and Trent Alexander-Arnold during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Liverpool FC and Union SG. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, October 4, 2023: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai (L) and Trent Alexander-Arnold during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Liverpool FC and Union SG. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool will see those players on duty at the Euros and Copa America return at different intervals, with a three-week break advised following the end of their time at either tournament.

Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai and Vitezslav Jaros will be the first back, with Scotland, Hungary and the Czech Republic all knocked out of the Euros.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch, Ibrahima Konate and Diogo Jota all remain in Germany after helping their countries to the quarter-finals.

Also into the quarter-finals at Copa America are the quartet of Alisson, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez.

Liverpool are guaranteed to see one of Jota or Konate and Alisson or Nunez head home after their quarter-finals, however, as Portugal face France and Brazil take on Uruguay.

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