Liverpool Injury Update: Bradley and Ekitike Face Long Road Back on USA Tour

Liverpool have landed in Chicago with a 31-man squad for their pre-season trip to the United States, and the headline is clear. This is not simply a fitness camp. It is also a working base for a number of injured players who remain some distance from a return.

Andoni Iraola has taken a mixed group across the Atlantic, blending senior players with academy talent, while several World Cup participants are due to link up later depending on their summer workload. Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Alisson, Alexis Mac Allister and Victor Munoz all fall into that category.

Liverpool squad heads to Chicago

The more immediate issue concerns availability: Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Wataru Endo and Stefan Bajcetic have all travelled, though not because they are ready to play. They are continuing rehabilitation with Liverpool’s medical staff while staying embedded in the first-team environment.

That matters. The club clearly see more value in keeping recovering players around the squad in the United States than leaving them behind at the AXA Training Centre. It is practical, and it keeps them connected to the rhythm of pre-season.

Andoni Iraola gives injury update

Iraola did not dress it up. He said: “Yes, right now, we have different situations in terms of injuries.

“[Bradley, Ekitike and Leoni] are big, big injuries, it’s taking them months to recover. And apart from those three, we have Stefan and Wataru that are close to training with the group.

“They will start in this during this tour, training not fully maybe but partially with the group. With the others, we have to wait more.

“In terms of order, I think the closest one to returning is Leoni. After will be Conor and Hugo. But especially the last two are still way off, we are talking about months and still a lot of time out.”

That is the key takeaway. Bradley and Ekitike are not on the verge of a comeback. They are out for months. Endo and Bajcetic are closer, though only to partial team training for now.

Pre-season tour plans take shape

Chicago will be Liverpool’s base for a two-week stay, with friendlies scheduled against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United. The trip is about preparation, assessment and conditioning. For some, it is also about patience. More details on the travelling group emerged ahead of the flight to the United States, but Iraola’s update leaves little room for guesswork. Some players are building fitness. Others are still a long way off.