Liverpool players Virgil van Dijk and Alexander Isak inset

Virgil van Dijk and Alexander Isak will soon return for LiverpoolImago

Liverpool stars' return dates revealed amid Alexander Isak update

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Published on:

27 Jul 2026, 11:36 am

Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch will link up with the Liverpool squad before the second friendly of their United States tour, sources have told Football Insider.

The trio have each had a three-and-a-half-week break following the end of their involvement in the World Cup and may play some part in the match, which will take place against Wrexham in the early hours of Thursday morning for UK-based viewers.

The club's tour of the States will conclude with a clash against Leeds United, which is due to take place in Chicago on Sunday.

After which, Liverpool will be joined by returning World Cup stars Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Alisson back in Merseyside, ahead of a friendly against Monaco at Anfield.

Alexis Mac Allister and new signing Victor Munoz were both present at the World Cup final and will return even later, with their readiness for the Premier League's opening weekend yet to be decided.

Liverpool are also due to play Como twice, with a friendly set to be played at Anfield before another behind closed doors.

Watch every pre-season match live on All Red Video this summer 🙌
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 4, 2026

Liverpool face important pre-season amid difficult start

A strong pre-season will be of vital importance to Andoni Iraola, who will hope to have his players back in good shape.

Liverpool's first game of the Premier League season is a tough trip to Newcastle United, with a good start important for his squad's confidence.

Clashes against Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Manchester City and Brentford follow soon after, before Liverpool host the champions at the end of October.

Iraola will hope his team are in good form by then, but he will be aware that many teams face the same problem as he does.

Arsenal have been among the most affected by the World Cup, with their pre-season due to last just three weeks.

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How to watch Liverpool in pre-season

Every one of Liverpool's pre-season games can be watched live with an All Red full membership, available on the club website.

The Reds got underway with a 4-2 win over Sunderland in Nashville on Saturday night.

Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas scored for Iraola's side, cancelling out goals from Enzo Le Fee and Timur Tuterov.

Wrexham will pose a different test, with the main focus on fitness and the avoidance of injuries.

Ryan Gravenberch