After missing the Euros due to a quad injury, Trent Alexander-Arnold is back in pre-season training and believes he is “ready to play” in Liverpool’s opening friendlies.
Alexander-Arnold was cruelly ruled out of the England squad after suffering an injury in the 1-0 friendly win over Austria, leaving him with an off-season spent in rehabilitation.
The 22-year-old is now back fit and has rejoined full training at Liverpool’s pre-season camp in Austria, and both he and Jurgen Klopp feel he can take part in Tuesday’s clashes with Wacker Innsbruck and Stuttgart.
The Reds will play both sides in the space of an hour-and-a-half, with 30-minute games designed to allow the squad to replicate the intensity of the campaign ahead.
Ultimately, the decision will be down to the club’s medical staff, but speaking to LiverpoolFC.com, Alexander-Arnold declared himself “ready to play.”
“[I’m] fully pain-free. I’ve been doing a lot of rehab when we were off over the summer with the physios and the medical staff, which was good for me,” he said.
“I feel fit, I feel healthy and I’m back in full training now, so it’s good. It’s good for me.
“I’ve done quite a few sessions with the lads now, I feel fit enough to play.
“But the decision comes from the manager, the staff and obviously the medical staff, they need to talk and see if it’s worth the risk.
“If not, there’s a game on Friday as well, so whether it’s a case of a few minutes on Tuesday and play a bit more on Friday, ease me in like that, who knows? Either way, I’ll be ready to play.”
After Liverpool’s clashes with Wacker Innsbruck and Stuttgart, a 60-minute game against Klopp’s former side Mainz will take place on Friday, building up to full-length friendly against Hertha Berlin next Thursday.
Having Alexander-Arnold back fit and available ahead of their warmup schedule is a huge boost for the Reds, particularly as uncertainty reigns over his backup.
Neco Williams is now in Austria and will begin training on Monday, but is expected to move on this summer in a deal worth £10 million, with 17-year-old Conor Bradley tipped to replace him.
Bradley is yet to feature at first-team level for Liverpool, though he made his international bow for Northern Ireland earlier in the summer, and it remains to be seen whether he can provide adequate cover.
Giving Alexander-Arnold the chance to rebuild his fitness over the course of the friendlies should help him ahead of another busy campaign as first choice, with Bradley, James Milner and Joe Gomez waiting in the wings.
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