Liverpool defender Andy Robertson says he is pain free for the first time in five months.
The 30-year-old, who dislocated a shoulder on international duty in October, sustained an ankle ligament injury playing for Scotland again in March and found things difficult as the domestic season moved towards its conclusion before also featuring at Euro 2024.
Robertson also had a minor problem over the summer which restricted him to only 60 minutes in pre-season, when he started the friendly against Sevilla despite travelling to America with the squad.
“I was playing in pain from March onwards and obviously it was a really important time for the club and then a really important time for my country,” said Robertson, who played 69 minutes of Saturday’s victory at Ipswich.
“I hoped that the three weeks off (over the summer) would have settled things down but it didn’t and I needed a wee bit longer.
“So I managed to get my fitness up to a really good level in terms of not being with the team, which was hugely frustrating.
“But I made sure I was in America, in every team meeting going, asking the coaches questions, things like that, and trying to learn even when I could not be on the pitch.
“I knew that would put me in the best possible shape when I was on the pitch.
“I am pain free for the first time in five months, which is always positive, so long may it continue.
“Obviously coming off towards the end (against Ipswich), I started to get a little bit tired, which is normal, but I felt good, I feel good.”
Liverpool’s 22-year-old centre-back Sepp van den Berg, who spent last season on loan at Mainz, is understood to be attracting attention from Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen and Brentford, with the club looking for £20million for the defender.
