Summer signings Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister were involved in Liverpool training for the first time on Tuesday as Jurgen Klopp gears his side up for an improved 2023/24 campaign.
Szoboszlai, a £60m arrival from RB Leipzig, and Mac Allister, the World Cup winner signed from Brighton, took to the club’s facility in Kirkby as fitness examinations took place.
The Reds moved quickly to secure both signings, with the team’s midfield underperforming in 2022/23 as they finished fifth, missing out on Champions League qualification.
However, a good run of form towards the end of the season hinted at a more positive 2023/24 campaign and the new arrivals have been well received by stalwart squad members.
Fabinho, heavily criticised for a drop off in form last term, admitted he was happy with the greater strength in depth the duo will provide.
Forward Cody Gakpo, who only joined from PSV Eindhoven in January: “Very pleased [they are here]. I think everybody knows that they are very good players and I’m really looking forward to playing with them together.”
Hear from @alemacallister after he completed his first day of pre-season 🔊 pic.twitter.com/damHVh0vVd
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 11, 2023
Mac Allister was shown greeting his new teammates and the staff at Liverpool’s training ground while Szoboszlai was also spotted being put through his paces.
The Hungary international was even spotted suffering during Liverpool’s traditional ‘lactate test’, where players run around a pitch and have their blood levels measured until one player is left standard.
Szoboszlai offered a tongue in cheek response when asked about the fitness drill, responding: “Really hard, but really good. The running, the running. Easy? No comment.”
Liverpool‘s cameras also picked up an interaction between Mac Allister and defender Virgil can Dijk, who was on the losing side when Argentina and the Netherlands met in the World Cup quarter finals in a fiery contest.
While Mac Allister is having a massage, Van Dijk spots the midfielder’s phone and notices the screensaver is of midfielder posing with the World Cup trophy.
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