Liverpool receive double injury boost as two key Arne Slot players seen in training

Liverpool is preparing for their Champions League match against Girona, with two of Arne Slot’s key players spotted training on Friday as they approach a return from injury.

Despite the postponement of the Merseyside derby, Liverpool won’t have to wait long for their next game. On Tuesday, Arne Slot’s team will face Girona in the Champions League. The congested fixture schedule might actually provide a slight advantage for Liverpool, giving them some extra rest in December. By the time the Everton match is played, several players could be back from injury.

Among those returning could be Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota, who were both seen participating in parts of Friday’s training session. Earlier in the day, Slot confirmed that while Alisson was “not ready yet, he will be ready very soon,” Jota was “close to being back,” offering a rare update on the 28-year-old.

Jota was seen in the gym before joining the squad on the outdoor pitches for small-sided games. The Portugal forward has been out since mid-October with a rib injury sustained during the Chelsea match.

Alisson was filmed by LFCTV performing a short running drill before joining the other goalkeepers for drills with coach Claudio Taffarel. He showed no signs of hesitation and made a series of diving saves during the session.

Conor Bradley was also spotted with his teammates in the gym. Slot confirmed that he, Kostas Tsimikas, and Ibrahima Konate are still “a bit further away from playing,” with Alisson, Jota, and Federico Chiesa the closest to returning.

Liverpool.com highlights that the return of these players will be crucial for maintaining momentum in the season. Slot doesn’t have unlimited options, especially in defense, so having more quality available will make a significant difference. Alisson and Jota are expected to immediately return to the starting XI once they are fit.

More news….

Liverpool to compete with Atletico Madrid for 21-year-old talent’s signature

Liverpool is reportedly set to compete with Atletico Madrid and other top European clubs for the signature of PSV Eindhoven’s Ricardo Pepi.

The 21-year-old United States international has been in excellent form for PSV this season, scoring six goals in 11 Eredivisie matches—just one goal shy of his total from last season. Pepi netted seven goals in 27 league appearances during the 2023/24 campaign, helping PSV secure the Eredivisie title with a commanding seven-point lead over Feyenoord, managed by Arne Slot.

Now, Pepi appears to be attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool. According to CaughtOffside, the Reds are reportedly monitoring the forward, who could be available for a rumored fee of $26.4m (£20.8m/€25m).

Atletico Madrid is also said to be keeping an eye on Pepi, alongside Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Currently, while Liverpool’s attacking options are strong, the team is left with just one fit striker, Darwin Nunez, due to Diogo Jota’s injury.

The Athletic recently reported that Jota is expected to be sidelined for “about a week after the international break,” meaning he will miss matches against Southampton, Real Madrid, and Manchester City. Unless there is a tactical change, Nunez is likely to lead the attack for Liverpool in these games.

With Jota’s ongoing fitness issues, questions are being raised about whether Liverpool should target a new striker in January, particularly with their strong push for the Premier League title this season. Jota has not managed to complete a full Premier League campaign for Liverpool, with the only time he played more than 30 league matches coming in the 2021/22 season.