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Iraola confirmed as Liverpool head coach with 14 players ready for pre-season opener

Liverpool have officially appointed Andoni Iraola as head coach following Arne Slot's departure. Fourteen players not involved in the World Cup will report for pre-season next month, with the club's summer schedule including a US tour and two Anfield friendlies.

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Iraola confirmed as Liverpool head coach with 14 players ready for pre-season opener
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Andoni Iraola has been confirmed as Liverpool’s new head coach, with the club announcing the Spaniard’s appointment on Thursday following Arne Slot’s exit at the weekend. Fourteen first-team players not involved in the 2026 World Cup will be available to work under Iraola from the opening day of pre-season next month.

Liverpool’s summer programme includes a tour of the United States, where they will play friendlies against Leeds United, Wrexham and Sunderland. Two additional fixtures have been arranged at Anfield in August — against Monaco and Como — giving Iraola his first experience of home matches on Merseyside.

Eight current Liverpool players will miss the early stages of pre-season due to World Cup commitments: Alisson Becker, Alexander Isak, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and Alexis Mac Allister are all away with their national teams. Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konaté will also feature in the tournament but have already departed the club this summer.

Among those expected to be present from day one, goalkeepers Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman will report to the AXA Training Centre, alongside defenders Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni, Joe Gomez, Milos Kerkez, Calvin Ramsay and January signing Jeremy Jacquet. Conor Bradley will be absent as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.

In midfield, Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, Stefan Bajcetic and Trey Nyoni are all expected to be fit from the outset. Jones, however, has been linked with a transfer away from Anfield in recent weeks. Forwards Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha are also pencilled in for the pre-season opener, while Hugo Ekitike will be sidelined with an Achilles injury.

The World Cup group stage concludes on 27 June, with the knockout rounds beginning the following day. Liverpool players involved in the tournament will be given a rest period before rejoining Iraola’s squad for pre-season training later in the summer.

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