The conclusion of the 2023/24 season is finally approaching for five Liverpool players who are still involved in international tournaments. While Arne Slot focuses on next season’s preparations at the AXA Training Centre, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz, and Darwin Nunez are battling it out on the international stage.
The standard and speed of play at international tournaments this summer have been a topic of discussion, and it’s no wonder considering the physical toll it takes on the players. With their last legs, these five Reds are pushing themselves to the limit.
As pre-season kicks off on Merseyside, the season is far from over for these players. Alexander-Arnold and Gomez are still with England as they gear up for the Euro final. Meanwhile, Mac Allister and Diaz will face off in the Copa America final. Nunez, on the other hand, is set to participate in Uruguay’s battle for a bronze medal against Canada. However, his involvement is under scrutiny due to his role in a fight in the stands.
Liverpool is guaranteed to have at least one player lift a trophy this weekend, with Diaz and Mac Allister going head-to-head in the Copa America final. If England manages to beat Spain in the Euro final, the possibility of three Liverpool players lifting trophies arises.
The last international game for these five players may only see three of them in the starting lineups. Nevertheless, this weekend marks the end of an exhausting season for them. Diaz has accumulated an impressive 4,836 minutes for club and country, closely followed by Mac Allister with 4,465 minutes. Nunez is set to break into the 4,000 club if he plays at least 44 minutes against Canada. Gomez (3,279) and Alexander-Arnold (3,131) have played fewer minutes this season, with Gareth Southgate wisely managing their workload this summer.
Despite the physical demands, all five players have managed to stay fit throughout the summer. They now have just one more match to see out before they can finally enjoy a well-deserved break. But when will they report back for pre-season?
After this weekend’s international fixtures, the players will have three full weeks off. The earliest they are expected to return is on August 5. They will be among the last to report back, along with Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, and Ryan Gravenberch, who bowed out at the semi-final stage.
The first internationals to return will be Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Vitezslav Jaros, who exited their tournaments at the group stage. They will be back in time for Liverpool’s trip to the United States later this month. As for Alisson, Diogo Jota, and Ibrahima Konate, they will either join the squad during the latter stages of the three-city tour or report back to the AXA Training Centre at the beginning of next month.
With such a large group of players missing for the majority of pre-season, Arne Slot will have no time to waste once he has them all under his watch. The team will need to hit the ground running to prepare for the upcoming season.