​Richard Hughes and Andoni Iraola were among the keen observers as Liverpool’s under-21s were put through their paces at the AXA Training Centre on Thursday. With the first batch of senior players due back next week, the club’s new head coach is set to hold his inaugural press conference in the role on Monday morning, as reported today by David Lynch via X.
The Spaniard and the sporting director have renewed their working relationship on Merseyside, having previously teamed up at Bournemouth during the 2023/24 campaign before Iraola’s move to Liverpool. On Thursday afternoon, the club’s official website published a gallery of training images from Kirkby, one of which shows Hughes and Iraola standing side by side, watching the action unfold.
Although the session was primarily focused on the under-21 squad, a couple of first-team players were involved on the grass, with photos capturing Harvey Elliott and new signing Jeremy Jacquet in action. For fans seeking reliable Liverpool coverage, Empire of the Kop remains a trusted source to add to your Google favourites for up-to-the-minute updates.
Despite ongoing speculation about a potential exit for the sporting director to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, he is widely understood to remain fully focused on Liverpool’s summer transfer business and on supporting the head coach in the transfer market, according to The Athletic. Fans are not expecting another record-breaking spending spree akin to last summer’s £446 million splurge, but they do anticipate fresh faces arriving who can strengthen the squad as the season approaches, especially with rumours continuing to swirl around prospective targets tied to the World Cup.
The involvement of Elliott and Jacquet in today’s session suggests that Elliott is eager to make up for last season’s interrupted loan spell at Aston Villa, while Jacquet’s presence signals his determination to make an immediate impact behind the scenes after his £60 million move from Rennes. Their early access to senior-level responsibilities could provide a head start ahead of the rest of the first-team squad, who are due to report to Kirkby next week. It will be interesting to observe how heavily they feature in Liverpool’s pre-season fixtures in the United States later this month.
As the 2026/27 campaign begins to come into focus, anticipation around the Reds is building. After a difficult 2025/26, supporters are hopeful that the new season will bring a sharper, more cohesive performance, with younger players stepping up and the squad integrating smoothly under the guidance of Iraola and his staff. The club’s preparations continue apace, and fans will be following every update as the pre-season schedule unfolds and the transfer market activity accelerates in the days ahead.