Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch all took part in their first pre-season session at Chicago Fire's Endeavour Performance Centre on Sunday, having reported for duty over the weekend following their World Cup commitments.
Wirtz arrived at the team's hotel in downtown Chicago ahead of his teammates' return from Saturday's 4-2 friendly win over Sunderland in Nashville, greeting many of his delighted colleagues.
Pressure on high-price signings
The upcoming season is crucial for Wirtz, who failed to justify his £116m price tag in his maiden campaign at Anfield. There were flashes of brilliance but much more is expected from the Germany international once he adapts to Andoni Iraola's more intense and aggressive system out of possession.
Similarly, Isak's £125m switch from Newcastle United last summer has not yet seen the Sweden international reach the heights that made him the most expensive footballer in British history. The difficulties of the pair, who cost £241m combined, have been well documented. However, a new era under a different coach brings fresh ideas and hopefully fewer injury concerns.
Iraola is ready to shape both players into what he wants. Speaking to the Anfield Wrap in an interview published on Monday, he said: "Yes I am excited [to work with them] and I also feel you are talking about Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz as two players who have already been here for one year and the first impressions when I have talked to them is also that they want to have a good season. They want to start well, they were asking a lot of the right questions. They care about winning, they care about a lot things. They are good players and I am looking forward to working with them."
He added: "I've watched them from the outside a lot. I know them a lot, especially Alex, I played against him in Spain also a lot and I am sure they are very good players and I hope we can give them the platform to maximise their potential."
Transfer pursuit of Barcola continues
Beyond Wirtz and Isak, Liverpool are working behind the scenes on a potential deal for Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola. Having moved on from interest in RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande earlier this summer, France international Barcola has been the No.1 target for a club seeking reinforcements in wide areas.
Iraola has admitted in two separate press conferences that a wide player is the priority and Barcola is top of the shortlist. PSG, however, are reluctant to sell and have been trying to tie down the attacker to a new deal for the best part of the last 12 months. A reluctant sale had thought to be nearing as PSG closed in on Diomande from Leipzig, but the Ivory Coast international is now on the cusp of a move to Real Madrid.
That complicates matters for Liverpool given PSG will likely be even more reluctant to enter into talks over the 23-year-old. While Arsenal had also been named as an interested party, claims of a move for Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior have cooled the Barcola links in North London.
The search for a high-end winger has developed into a merry-go-round and less than a month before the Premier League season gets underway, Liverpool are still looking to fill the Mohamed Salah-shaped hole in their squad. That is not exactly Iraola's remit, and sporting director Richard Hughes, who was in Nashville on Saturday for the game, has as much work to do around the negotiating table as the head coach does on the pitch.
