Liverpool injury update: Confirmed latest on Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and more | OneFootball

Liverpool injury update: Andoni Iraola outlines Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni return plans

Liverpool’s injury list is manageable for now, but there is no point dressing it up. The squad is already carrying enough absentees to affect selection, and once the fixtures start piling up, depth stops being a luxury and becomes a requirement.

Andoni Iraola has now offered a clearer picture on where things stand, particularly with Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni. Speaking ahead of the Premier League meeting with Ipswich, the Liverpool head coach gave the most direct assessment yet of when the pair could be back in the fold.

He said: “The closest one is Joe. He will start training with us next week. The next one is Giovanni Leoni; he could be training during the break with the group. Conor and especially Hugo [will take] longer.”

That is the key line. Gomez is the nearest return, Leoni is progressing, while Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike remain some way off. Bradley is still recovering from a serious knee injury, Ekitike from an Achilles problem, and neither sounds close.

Photo: IMAGO

Joe Gomez return could ease Liverpool defence concerns

For Liverpool, Gomez matters because he gives Iraola flexibility. He can cover centrally, fill in across the back line, and he knows the demands of the club. If he returns to training next week without setbacks, the realistic target becomes availability after the international break.

That would put the Fulham match on 12 September into view, with the Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur on 15 September another possible date. No guarantees, clearly, but this is no longer vague optimism. It is a timetable.

Giovanni Leoni injury recovery offers longer-term boost

Leoni’s situation is different. An ACL rupture nearly a year ago means caution is obvious. Even if he rejoins team training during the upcoming break, nobody sensible should expect him to go straight into meaningful minutes. Young defenders coming back from long layoffs need rhythm, work, and patience.

Still, his progress matters. Liverpool signed him for potential, and having him available again by October would strengthen the group at a point in the season when rotation becomes unavoidable.

Liverpool squad depth will be tested by autumn schedule

If Gomez and Leoni both return on schedule, Iraola could soon have five centre-backs to choose from. That changes the conversation quickly. It reduces strain, allows smarter rotation, and gives Liverpool a better chance of coping with domestic and European commitments.

For now, the Liverpool injury update is relatively positive. There is no crisis. There is, however, a warning attached. One or two more setbacks and the picture changes fast. That is how these periods work. At the moment, Iraola has reasons for encouragement, and in a packed autumn, that will do.