As Liverpool welcomed 14 of their international contingent for the first day of preseason training on Tuesday, familiar and unfamiliar faces arrived at the AXA Training Center.

The majority of Jurgen Klopp’s team, including Mohamed Salah and captain Jordan Henderson, marked their first day back at Kirkby as they were mercilessly put through their paces despite the fact that the 2023–24 season preparations officially began on Saturday.

On their first day as Liverpool players, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai joined other first-team Reds players like Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

From here, the Reds will continue the first week of their schedule on Merseyside before jetting off to the German town of Donaueschingen in the Black Forest region to contest friendlies against Bundesliga 2 opposition Karlsruher SC and Greuther Furth next week.

Here’s what spotted from Tuesday’s session at the AXA Centre:

Duo enjoy their first days as Liverpool players

While the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Luis Diaz all returned to the Liverpool training on Tuesday morning after an extended summer break, all eyes were on Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai at the Reds’ Kirkby training base as both players were captured all smiles on their first day.

The Reds’ first acquisition of the summer, Mac Allister, was a suitable farewell gift from Julian Ward, who is leaving his position as sports director. Julian moved quickly to identify the Argentine and later activate the £35 million release clause in the player’s Brighton & Hove Albion contract.

About three weeks later, Szoboszlai, 22, arrived from Bundesliga team RB Leipzig in a deal of £60 million, becoming the second arrival of the summer.

Next week, Jurgen Klopp’s team will travel to Germany’s Black Forest for back-to-back friendly, and both players will be a part of that team.

All smiles as the summer holidays end

However, it wasn’t just Alexis Mac Allister who looked delighted to be reporting to the AXA on Tuesday morning. Judging by the photos captured inside the Reds’ gymnasium, defensive duo Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson look rather chuffed to be in one another’s company once more after nearly six weeks apart.

The skipper and his new vice-captain?

Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk could be seen deep in conversation at Kirkby this morning.

Even if the England international’s flamboyant social media posts over the past few days likely dominated much of the conversation, Reds supporters should get used to it before the upcoming season.

This is because, with vice-captain James Milner’s departure in the summer, Van Dijk is anticipated to advance in the Reds’ internal leadership group. In recent seasons, when both Henderson and Milner were out injured, the 32-year-old Dutch international has led the Reds on numerous occasions.

And he will be expected to do so plenty of times during the 2023/24 season if his promotion to vice-captain is confirmed.

Dreaded lactate test looks for a new champion

Of all of the elements of Liverpool’s rigorous pre-season schedule, nothing quite excites fans like watching their favourite footballers being whipped into shape by the dreaded lactate test.

And this season, following the departure of James Milner, the Reds will be able to welcome just a second champion of the test since 2015.

That’s because the 37-year-old midfielder, who joined Brighton and Hove Albion earlier this summer after the expiry of his contract on Merseyside, has reigned victorious in all of his eight pre-seasons with the club.

Although the winner has not been disclosed yet, images show Luis Diaz, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai taking part in the challenging exercise.

Bajcetic continues rehabilitation

18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic continued his rehabilitation from a long-term adductor injury.

The Spaniard missed the final three months of the Reds’ season due to injury, but on Saturday he returned to the AXA Training Centre to complete his recovery.

Due to the severity and management of the injury, Jurgen Klopp acknowledged following the Reds’ final game of the regular season that he was doubtful if the teenager would be healthy enough to play in the preseason games.

However, given that Bajcetic has already added light ball activity to his routine, the early indications are encouraging.