Liverpool injury update: Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Federico Chiesa latest news and return dates | OneFootball

Reds hoping for boost ahead of looming Manchester City showdown

It is a familiar injury situation for Liverpool heading into the first international window of the season.

The Reds go into the extended three-week break on a high after Alexander Isak’s second-half strike proved enough to secure a 1-0 victory against Bournemouth on Sunday.

It was a winning first return to his former club for head coach Andoni Iraola, while Isak has already surpassed his Premier League goal tally from the entirety of an injury-wrecked debut campaign on Merseyside in just five outings this term.

While certainly not a stellar performance by Liverpool against opponents still searching for their first top-flight win of the season, they did enough to prevail as more praise was heaped upon defensive signings Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo.

They now have back-to-back wins after dispatching Tottenham 3-1 in the Carabao Cup third round, while Iraola’s side are still unbeaten in seven matches across all competitions this season.

Many of their stars will now jet off on international duty, with Liverpool not in action again until they host leaders Manchester City - who have won every game this season - in a blockbuster clash at Anfield on October 11, which is quickly followed by a trip to LASK Linz of Austria in the Champions League.

Here is all the latest Liverpool injury news and return dates after they appeared to get through the win over Bournemouth unscathed, with Joe Gomez back in the squad after a muscle issue.

Huge blow: Hugo Ekitike ruptured his right Achilles tendon against PSG in April

Hugo Ekitike

Isak’s upturn in fortunes has come amid the continued absence of fellow striker Hugo Ekitike, who has not played since rupturing his right Achilles tendon in the second leg of Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final tie against former club Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield in April.

The Frenchman missed the end of last season and the World Cup, with suggestions that he would remain sidelined for a period of between nine to 12 months, which would put him on track to return between January and April next year.

The 24-year-old has been providing updates of his recovery on social media, recently posting footage of himself kicking and juggling a ball against a wall indoors.

Iraola recently sprung a surprise by including Ekitike in his squad for the league phase of the Champions League, with the hope that he could potentially return for the final two games in January, against Inter Milan and Lens.

"It's difficult with these long-term injuries and I think he's still far [away from returning],” Iraola said before the goalless draw with Fulham last weekend.

"We had a meeting with the medical department to analyse when we completed the [squad] list for the European games. There is a reasonable chance that he could help us in the last two games of the group stages.

"It's still very early to say because it's a long-term injury and a big part of the rehab [he] is still to meet.

"But we decided to put him there because there is a hope and a realistic chance that he could help us in January."

Potential return date: January 2027

Recovery: Conor Bradley has not played since the goalless draw with Arsenal in January

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Conor Bradley

Conor Bradley is another long-term absentee for Liverpool, having undergone surgery on bone and ligament damage to his left knee suffered during the closing stages of the goalless draw with Arsenal in the Premier League back in January.

Providing a new update on the Northern Ireland captain last week, Iraola said: “He is not close to training with the team. He is training alone but he has started touching the ball. We want him back as soon as possible.

“He has a road a little bit ahead of him and it is going to take some time.

Potential return date: November or December

Federico Chiesa

Federico Chiesa has also yet to play for Liverpool competitively under Iraola, having sat out the first seven games of the season due to what was described as a “small muscle injury” in his back sustained during the friendly against Como last month.

Iraola confirmed that the Italian forward would not be in contention to face Bournemouth, though it is presumably hoped that he could be ready after the extended international break with three more weeks now ahead to work on his fitness.

Potential return date: Sunday October 11, vs Manchester City (H)

Return: Federico Chiesa could be available for selection against Manchester City

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Giovanni Leoni

Giovanni Leoni was desperately unfortunate as he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his left knee on his first appearance for Liverpool at Anfield after joining from Parma in a £26million transfer last summer, against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

He was expected to miss a full year of action, which has proved to be the case.

However, he has been working hard on his rehabilitation and Iraola recently confirmed that he was ahead of Bradley, meaning we could potentially see his return in October or November.