Arne Slot could be without 6 Liverpool players including Mohamed Salah when he kick-starts pre-season: Reports

New Liverpool manager Arne Slot could reportedly be without six players from the current crop of the Reds before his first pre-season match in charge (via SPORTbible).

The Merseyside giants announced that they would be traveling to the USA in July to kickstart the pre-season preparations.

A statement from the club read (via SPORTbible):

"Slot will begin work with the squad when pre-season gets underway in July, with a three-game trip to the USA as part of the preparations for 2024-25."

Before the Reds jet out to the USA, they could lose Caoimhin Kelleher, Sepp van den Berg, and Joe Gomez, who have been linked with moves away from Anfield. It doesn't seem surprising that Kelleher, who is deputy to Alisson at the moment, is going out in search of regular game time.

Speaking to The Athletic, the Ireland international, who made 10 Premier League appearances in the 2023-24 season, said:

"Whether it's here at Liverpool or somewhere else, I do feel the next step for me is to be a No.1."

Similarly, defender Van de Berg is also seeking regular first-team football. On the other hand, Gomez has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia and is currently on international duty with England.

Another issue for Slot would be the Olympics, which is set to commence in the final week of July.

With the possibility that Mohamed Salah, Wataru Endo, and Stefan Bajcetic could named in the squads of the respective countries, Slot may also be without the trio.

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Joe Gomez open to leaving Liverpool for Saudi Arabia this summer - Reports

Liverpool FC defender Joe Gomez

With Liverpool expecting bids for Joe Gomez from Saudi Arabia this summer, it is reported that the player himself would be willing to move. According to MailOnline, the England international could be on his way out despite a good 2023-24 season (via GiveMeSport).

Although not a sure shot starts, Gomez can cover multiple positions in central defense and at full-back. He made 51 appearances across competitions in the recently concluded season, bagging three assists.

He filled in for Trent-Alexander Arnold at right-back when the latter was injured while covering the left-back slot for Andrew Robertson from time to time. Overall, Gomez has made 224 appearances across competitions for the Reds but he is yet to score his first senior goal.

A move away may be the right choice for Gomez, who is still not a starter despite his good performances in 2023-24.