Nasir Jabbar
A Liverpool star has flown home from the club's pre-season tour of Asia in a major blow to Arne Slot ahead of the new season.
Liverpool are currently in Hong Kong for their pre-season tour.
The Premier League champions face AC Milan on Saturday before travelling to Japan to face Yokohama FM next week.
Slot has named a 29-man squad for their tour of Asia, with new signings Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong included. Hugo Ekitike has since joined his new teammates following his transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt and appeared to drop a hint over Alexander Isak in his unveiling interview.
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Joe Gomez was also included in Liverpool's pre-season party, but he has flown home.
Liverpool have confirmed Gomez's departure from their pre-season tour, revealing he has an Achilles injury.
A statement read: "Joe Gomez has departed Liverpool's pre-season tour of Asia due to injury, Arne Slot has confirmed."
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The defender is set to return to Merseyside to undergo treatment on an Achilles issue at the club's training base.
Slot said: "He was, of course, with us for the first part of the week, but he had some Achilles problems.
"We thought it was better to assess it back in England and for him to work on him to come back to the team, probably in more ideal circumstances for him than be part of the group that every time goes out.
"So, we decided to let him go back to England. But we hope and expect to have him back soon."
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Gomez, 28, made just 17 appearances across all competitions last season in an injury-hit campaign.
Slot originally named a 29-man pre-season squad before adding Ekitike following his transfer.
SQUAD: Alisson, Gomez (flown home), Endo, Van Dijk, Konate, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Mac Allister, Salah, Jones, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Robertson, Gravenberch, Doak, Woodman, Mamardashvili, Kerkez, Wirtz, Frimpong, Pecsi, Ngumoha, Misciur, Morton, Bradley, Stephenson, Nyoni, Ekitike.