After almost seven weeks away, Liverpool players will reconvene for training on Friday.
Plenty has changed for the Reds after their last session, which was the final one of Jurgen Klopp’s reign as manager.
As Klopp said himself, that was a ‘very strange’ session at the AXA Training Centre, with emotions running high ahead of the German’s final match in charge.
Fast forward almost two months and it is now Arne Slot and his brand new coaching team who are getting ready to put the Liverpool squad through their paces.
Owing to the ongoing international tournaments, it is set to be a vastly reduced group returning on Friday. Nevertheless, there is still some intrigue for fans.
Sepp van den Berg set for Liverpool return
With so many of the first-team away either still with their national teams or on holiday, there are only eight players to come back for Slot’s first day of training.
Even the likes of Mohamed Salah, who will not travel to the Olympics with Egypt, will not be back until later next week.
Although there was no tournament football for Salah, he still featured in some end of season fixtures for his country. As a result, the 32-year-old has some extra time off.
As per liverpoolfc.com, the likes of Kostas Tsimikas, Curtis Jones and Caoimhin Kelleher will be the most senior of the players involved on Friday.
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Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley will reportedly be there too, as will Stefan Bajcetic and Owen Beck.
But perhaps the player Liverpool fans will be watching out for the most is centre-back Sepp van den Berg.
The Dutchman has been at the centre of a bit of a spat with the Reds. Having played so well for Mainz last season, Van den Berg has publicly declared his desire to leave Liverpool this summer.
After so boldly coming out and demanding to be let go, it will be fascinating to see the 22-year-old’s demeanour around his new head coach.
Big pre-season ahead for Sepp van den Berg
Such a quiet seeming personality prior to his many loan stints, Van den Berg has now really found his confidence.
At 22, the former PEC Zwolle youngster finally looks ready for his shot at Liverpool. With the Reds so far holding fire on a new centre-back signing, it looks like Van den Berg will get his chance.
There have already been claims that Slot is keen to take a look at Van den Berg. There is a spot open to be Liverpool’s fourth-choice centre-back.
If the Netherlands U21 international does well in the coming days and weeks, he should get that opportunity. As Mainz manager Bo Svensson said, Van den Berg is an ‘incredibly talented’ defender.
The hard work has to start today, though. With others away Van den Berg and Quansah have the chance to impress Slot. If his attitude is wrong, it will show straight away.