Liverpool Prepare for Pre-Season Without Elliott and Morton

Liverpool are on the verge of beginning their 2025-26 pre-season with a rare luxury: almost the entire squad reporting on time. The only exceptions are Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton, both granted extra leave after helping England win the European Under-21 Championship last weekend.

That leaves Arne Slot, who guided Liverpool to the Premier League title in his debut season, in a far better position than he was a year ago. In 2024, Euro commitments meant he was without many key players during pre-season. This time, the Dutchman can finally work from day one with a full-strength squad and a clean bill of health.

Early Arrival Marks a Change of Fortunes

Pre-season officially begins on Tuesday, 8 July at the AXA Training Centre, and Liverpool are well-positioned to build momentum ahead of the new campaign. The trio of new signings have all arrived on schedule, and the absence of any major senior international tournament has cleared the path for an uninterrupted summer of preparation.

This represents a major shift from last summer, when Slot was forced to adapt without some of Liverpool’s most important players. That did not prevent him from delivering an outstanding season, but the lack of preparation time did restrict the level of tactical detail he could embed in training.

Now, with a full squad at his disposal, Slot has the opportunity to establish a refined system from the outset. The high-intensity, intelligent pressing game he seeks to develop demands collective understanding, and the early groundwork laid in pre-season could make all the difference.

Elliott’s Missed Opportunity

Harvey Elliott’s form for England at the U21 Euros was arguably his most consistent run of performances at international level, raising questions over his long-term future at Anfield. While there remains potential for the 22-year-old to force his way back into Slot’s plans, missing the start of pre-season is far from ideal.

“Elliott and Morton will reportedly be given ‘additional holiday time’ having only finished their season on Saturday evening,” noted Liverpool ECHO. That delay could be costly.

Slot has made it clear that players must prove themselves in training. Pre-season is not merely about fitness, it is the period in which roles and expectations are defined. Elliott had already been playing catch-up. Now, the runway gets even shorter.

Morton Faces Similar Challenge

Tyler Morton, fresh from a loan spell at Hull City, also finds himself on the outside looking in as Liverpool begin to take shape for the new campaign. Like Elliott, Morton impressed for England’s U21s, but his absence from the first week of training is a setback in a summer where young players are expected to challenge for first-team roles.

Reports suggest that both players will return shortly after their extended leave, but by then Slot’s tactical frameworks will be in full flow. For players already on the periphery, even a small delay can have a significant impact.

Still, with the rest of the squad fit, healthy and available, Slot is unlikely to dwell on absentees. His focus will be on maximising this rare pre-season advantage to mould a team capable of defending their Premier League crown and pushing for more silverware in 2025-26.