IRAOLA BEGINS LIVERPOOL ROLE AS SZOBOSZLAI SIGNS NEW DEAL

Andoni Iraola held his first press conference as Liverpool head coach on Monday at the AXA Training Centre, a day before the bulk of the first-team squad returned to training. Iraola stated that Liverpool require additional signings, with recruitment expected to accelerate following the conclusion of the World Cup. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai signed a five-year contract with the club, described as an important development. The new head coach has told players he will assess them as though they were new signings during initial training sessions.

Szoboszlai, who captains Hungary, indicated his willingness to take on the vice-captain role following the departures of Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson, both described as club legends. At 25 years old, Szoboszlai stated: "Mo left, Robbo left, so our vice-captain left and a club legend as well. We're going to miss them for sure and now someone else has to step up and if it's me, I'm ready to do it." Virgil van Dijk played every minute of Liverpool's Premier League matches last season, though his contract expires next summer. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker's contract also expires next summer, making Szoboszlai the primary candidate for the vice-captaincy.

Training commenced at Kirkby with players undergoing individual fitness tests before ball work began on Thursday and Friday. Iraola and his coaching staff focus on assessing the current squad's capabilities, with training videos released by Liverpool's official channels showing high intensity in sessions. The new head coach frequently provides positive feedback to players during training, according to the assessment of his involvement in these sessions.