SAALFELDEN, AUSTRIA - Tuesday, July 26, 2022: Liverpool's Kaide Gordon arrives before a training session at during the club's pre-season training camp in Austria. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Kaide Gordon injury update with “complex” 16-month issue explained

Kaide Gordon has not played for Liverpool in 16 months due to a “complex” pelvic injury, but the club are hoping he is now nearing his return.

The last time Gordon was on the pitch was for a 3-0 defeat to Leeds under-21s in February 2022, a day after he had warmed the bench for the first team.

Since then, a series of injury problems connected to his growth have kept him on the sidelines, with Liverpool taking a very cautious approach to his recovery.

Jurgen Klopp has been mindful to involve Gordon when possible, including for training camps in Austria and Dubai, while he has been spotted running on the pitches at the AXA Training Centre.

But the winger has not been able to build on his stunning breakthrough with the senior side in 2021/22, when became the club’s second-youngest goalscorer.

According to the Liverpool Echo, though, Gordon is now “much closer to resuming team training” after having resumed “tentative ball work.”

This Is Anfield understands that the club opted against reintegrating him in the final months of last season to avoid any risk of re-injury.

Instead, while there is “no timescale” set for his return, there is a chance the 18-year-old could be involved in parts of pre-season training.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Friday, December 16, 2022: Liverpool's youngsters Dominic Corness, Kaide Gordon, and Jarell Quansah after the Dubai Super Cup 2022 match between Liverpool FC and AC Milan at the Al Maktoum Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, U21s manager Barry Lewtas described the injury as “complex,” and explained that Gordon is now “taller and bigger” than when he was last involved.

“What is difficult with certain kind of injuries, especially with younger boys who are growing, they are complicated,” he said.

“It’s not like when you break a bone, then the bone heals and you crack on.

“Some of these injuries are more complex, and unfortunately for Kaide it has been that.

“It has been linked to his growth, and Kaide is taller and bigger now than when he last played.”

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, January 9, 2022: Liverpool's Kaide Gordon celebrates after scoring the first equalising goal during the FA Cup 3rd Round match between Liverpool FC and Shrewsbury Town FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

As Lewtas continued, he admitted that part of the club’s caution was owing to an increased expectation around Gordon among supporters due to his early impact.

“We always knew never to put a timeframe on it as we knew it could be a long one and we didn’t want to set his hopes too high,” the coach added.

“And wanted to keep him in the right frame of mind as well.

“It’s without raising expectations of anybody else as well, as he’s a player who has already made an impact in the first team.

“He’s been running around the pitch a little bit more, and we’ll see how he goes.”