Your Liverpool morning digest for Monday, July 4.
Sadio Mane forced Liverpool to make transfer decision like never before under Jurgen Klopp
It was in early April that Jurgen Klopp really started to take notice of a striker at Benfica by the name of Darwin Nunez.
As Liverpool's analysis team sat down to pour over the strengths and the weaknesses of their Champions League quarter-final opponents, Klopp was said to have been struck by what he saw from the Portuguese side's star man.
Quick, strong and athletic - plus an eye for goal that would eventually see him finish the campaign with 34 to his name - Klopp quickly "fell in love", to quote one source.
READ MORE: Sadio Mane forced Liverpool to make transfer decision like never before under Jurgen Klopp
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In person, Nunez quickly backed up the private assertion of Klopp and his staff that the young striker would have a big future in the game. In the first leg, the dynamic centre-forward pounced on a rare mistake from Ibrahima Konate before dispatching past Alisson Becker as the Reds won 3-1 in Lisbon.
Read the full story HERE
Eleven Liverpool players who will miss the first day of pre-season
Liverpool return to pre-season training on Monday but with a number of noticeable players missing.
Nineteen players will be present at the AXA training centre with 11 first-team players expected to taking part in initial medical examinations and fitness assessments. Some new players will be available, with Calvin Ramsey and Fabio Carvalho getting their first glimpse of life under Jurgen Klopp.
Adrian, Ben Davies, Luis Diaz, Harvey Elliott, Roberto Firmino, Joe Gomez, captain Jordan Henderson, Caoimhin Kelleher, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Nat Phillips, Thiago, Neco Williams, Rhys Williams and Sepp Van den Berg are the other players in through the door on the first day of pre-season.
Read the full story HERE
READ NEXT:
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New signings named in 19-man Liverpool squad for first day of pre-season as big stars missing
