Liverpool go into the first congested week of Andoni Iraola’s reign still unbeaten in the Premier League (one win, two draws) but short of several senior options. Champions League football starts at Anfield against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday, then Fulham follow at the weekend. Depth will matter quickly.
Here is the current picture, based on Iraola’s latest comments and club reporting.
Joe Gomez — closest
Gomez has been out since a muscle injury in pre-season. Recovery has gone as planned.
Iraola: “Joe will probably start training with us next week… I hope we can have him before the [international] break.”
Atlétíco and Fulham look too soon. A more realistic first target is Bournemouth away on 20 September. His value is versatility: centre-back, full-back, extra body when the midweek–weekend rhythm starts.
Federico Chiesa — training after the break, not before
Chiesa has not played this season after a pre-season muscle/back problem. He is not in the Champions League squad.
Iraola: “I think even Fede should be [back in training] around those dates [the international break].”
That points toward mid-October rather than this week. Manchester City at home on 11 October is the first date that makes sense if training goes well. Rushing an explosive wide player into Iraola’s intensity would be a false economy.
Giovanni Leoni — training milestone, not a match date
Leoni has been out for roughly a year after an ACL injury. The next step is full training with the group during the September/October international break.
That is progress, not availability. After a long layoff the club will judge how the knee handles full sessions before any minutes. Inclusion in the Champions League squad is a planning signal, not a promise he plays in the league phase immediately.
Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike — later, not this block
These are the two the original piece named in the headline and then almost ignored.
- Bradley: serious knee injury against Arsenal in January. Still long-term.
- Ekitike: Achilles rupture against PSG in April. Liverpool’s top scorer last season; still the furthest away.
Iraola: “Probably Conor, and especially Hugo, will go later [than the international break], yes.”
No firm date. Reporting clusters Bradley toward late autumn/winter and Ekitike toward November–December at the earliest, with fitness after the injury still to be rebuilt. Both are in the Champions League squad as a precaution so they can be registered if they return during the league phase.
What this means for the next fortnight
Iraola’s game is high-intensity. Two matches a week without Gomez, Chiesa, Leoni, Bradley and Ekitike leaves a thinner bench than the start of a European campaign usually wants. The correct order of return is Gomez first, then Chiesa and Leoni into training, then the two long-term cases much later.
The international break is useful: it lets medical staff bring people back without forcing them into Atlético or Fulham. Liverpool need these players for the next four months, not for one September night.
Short version Player Issue Next step Realistic first window Joe Gomez Muscle Team training next week Mid/late September Federico Chiesa Muscle/back Training around the break After 11 October Giovanni Leoni ACL (long-term) Full training in the break Later autumn, minutes TBD Conor Bradley Knee (Jan) Continues rehab After the break, no date Hugo Ekitike Achilles (Apr) Continues rehab Latest of the group
Unbeaten after three league games is a start. The harder test is keeping that going while these five come back in the right order, not the fastest one.
