Liverpool's New Era: Araujo and Jones Shine in Training

Liverpool’s new era under Andoni Iraola moved up a gear at the AXA Training Centre, with a full-blooded session that showcased a marquee arrival, a timely return, and a reminder that not everyone is ready for the starting gun just yet.

The countdown is on. Newcastle away. St James’ Park. Eleven days.

Araujo steps into the frame

All eyes went straight to Ronald Araujo.

Liverpool’s new center-back, fresh from Barcelona, cut an imposing figure as he joined his new teammates on the grass. This wasn’t a player easing himself in after a summer off; he has already been through pre-season work in Catalonia and trained with the sharpness of someone who expects to play very soon.

The plan is clear. Araujo is expected to make his unofficial Liverpool bow in one of the two remaining friendlies against Como at Anfield on Sunday, likely alongside Virgil van Dijk. If all goes smoothly, that partnership could be rolled out again on the opening weekend of the Premier League.

He is still learning the surroundings, the voices, the tempo. But this is a seasoned international defender, not a project. Iraola needs someone who can slot straight in. Araujo looks built for exactly that.

Defensive picture shifts again

Araujo wasn’t the only notable defensive presence.

Jeremy Jacquet, who has yet to feature in any of Liverpool’s pre-season fixtures, was back out on the grass and involved in the session. Iraola hinted last weekend that the French defender could be ready to play against Como, and that remains the target. He was close to a return during the US tour; now, the final step is minutes on the pitch.

Not everyone is there yet.

Giovanni Leoni and Stefan Bajcetic watched on from the sidelines, working on exercise bikes as the main group went through drills. Both remain among those still some distance from a full return and may be a few weeks away from rejoining full training. Their absence underlined how precious every fit body is as the season looms.

Curtis Jones back in the mix

In midfield, there was a significant boost.

Curtis Jones, who missed the defeat to AS Monaco at Anfield with a minor issue, returned to full involvement. That puts him in contention to feature against Como and hand Iraola another option in a department that could yet see movement before the window closes.

Jones remains on Inter Milan’s radar, but the Serie A side has not yet produced an offer Liverpool considers acceptable for the 25-year-old. Iraola has already been clear: he wants Jones to stay. The complication is the clock. The midfielder’s contract runs out next summer, and every session, every selection, now comes with that context humming in the background.

Iraola’s window on the training ground

The wider picture is hard to ignore.

Liverpool still has work to do in the transfer market, and Iraola knows it. At least he now has almost a full group available, with Alexis Mac Allister back from his post-World Cup break and the core of his squad on the grass. Only the injured remain off-limits.

Two friendlies against Como are all that stand between this group and the Premier League. Then it’s Newcastle, the noise of St James’ Park, and a schedule that will quickly turn unforgiving once the first international break passes and the two-game weeks kick in.

For now, the training ground is Iraola’s main stage. These are the days when he can shape partnerships, test ideas, and decide how quickly players like Araujo and Jacquet can be trusted in competitive fire.

The margin for error is shrinking. The work, clearly, has only just begun.