{"id":289600,"date":"2025-07-25T03:57:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T03:57:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/289600\/"},"modified":"2025-07-25T03:57:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T03:57:15","slug":"i-was-at-liverpool-training-to-see-players-get-transfer-surprise-after-hong-kong-session-was-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/289600\/","title":{"rendered":"I was at Liverpool training to see players get transfer surprise after Hong Kong session was over"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Paul Gorst is on tour with Liverpool in Hong Kong and was present to see the Reds in training on Thursday<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_MeeeePNG.png\" alt=\"Paul Gorst\" class=\"AuthorBio_bio-image-figure__aHRRv\" loading=\"eager\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"AuthorBio_bio-text__yt_tm\">Paul Gorst is the Liverpool ECHO&#8217;s Liverpool FC correspondent and brings readers the inside track on all matters Anfield day in, day out. Now into his fifth season in the role, Paul follows the Reds home and away, wherever they play &#8211; including pre season. He brings you all the latest Liverpool news first each day, plus exclusive interviews and insightful, independent analysis. A journalist with over a decade&#8217;s worth of experience, he has worked at the ECHO since 2016.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_GettyImages-2225943504.jpg\" loading=\"eager\"  \/>Players of  Liverpool warm up during the Liverpool Pre-Season Training at Kai Tak Stadium on July 24, 2025 in Hong Kong, China.(Image: Yu Chun Christopher Wong\/Eurasia Sport Images\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">Around 25,000 supporters came out to watch Liverpool train at the Kai Tak Stadium on Thursday evening. Arne Slot and his staff put the <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/sport\/football\/football-news\/what-liverpool-dressing-room-thinks-32120055\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">players through their paces<\/a> during a session that lasted around 90 minutes in total with Cody Gakpo in particular looking sharp in front of the fans from Hong Kong.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">New signing <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/sport\/football\/football-news\/hugo-ekitike-next-steps-striker-32126185\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">Hugo Ekitike was introduced to his new colleagues<\/a> at the end of the workout as he entered the pitch to greet his team-mates having flown in from the UK after completing a club medical on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">The ECHO was at the stadium to view proceedings. Here are some of the things learned from the<a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/all-about\/liverpool-fc\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\"> Liverpool <\/a>training session.<\/p>\n<p>READ MORE: <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/sport\/football\/transfer-news\/alexander-isak-asks-leave-newcastle-32126614\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alexander Isak asks to leave Newcastle as Liverpool consider stunning transfer<\/a>READ MORE: <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/sport\/football\/football-news\/liverpool-change-transfer-plan-explained-32117699\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Liverpool change in transfer plan explained as verdict shared on \u00a3300m arrivals<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Gakpo looked sharp<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">It was Cody Gakpo who was the standout performer from the day&#8217;s session, smashing two goals past new goalkeeper Giorgi Mamradashvili.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">The Netherlands international fired home with conviction to open the scoring in the training game before wrapping in a second and he looked sharp throughout with his neat footwork and willingness to drive at defenders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">A smart cross with the outside of his foot also should have led to a goal from new man Jeremie Frimpong but he headed wide from his international colleague&#8217;s ball to the back post.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">Gakpo enjoyed his best season as a Liverpool player last time out and looked like he was out to continue that form into the new term based on this evidence. He will get further match minutes under his belt when AC Milan are met on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Elliott makes up for miss<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">The silky smooth Florian Wirtz had every right to have expected an assist for Harvey Elliott during the session but the England Under-21 hero somehow fired wide from close range.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">It was a shocker of a miss from Elliott and while there was some amusement from his colleagues, the player himself could only wince after hitting it wide with the goal gaping on his weaker right foot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">Elliott, though, didn&#8217;t let the miss affect him and made amends shortly after, striking past Mamardashvili, who otherwise had an impressive session himself, making a handful of eye-catching saves.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">Elliott&#8217;s future remains unclear after returning to the squad recently on the back of his U21 exploits last month in Slovakia, where he starred as the Young Lions won the European Championship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">The addition of Wirtz further complicates matters for Elliott, who barely started a Premier League game last season, but this was an important session as he looks to regain match sharpness following his end-of-season holidays.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Endo leaves Diaz in a heap<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">It might have only been a training session but Wataru Endo took no prisoners, with Luis Diaz feeling the full force at one stage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">Colombia winger Diaz, who himself looked lively, was driving at Japan captain Endo en route to goal before he was taken down unceremoniously by the sort of challenge that is definitely not the done thing in a training session with team-mates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">Endo quickly apologised to Diaz, who eventually got to his feet and accepted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Ekitike pops in<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">The 25,000-strong crowd were given something of a surprise at the end of the session when new signing Hugo Ekitike was introduced to his new colleagues on the pitch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">The <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk\/sport\/football\/football-news\/hugo-ekitike-next-steps-striker-32126185\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"noopener\">France Under-21 international has flown to Hong Kong<\/a> after completing his medical in London on Tuesday and could be part of the action when the Reds meet AC Milan on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">That game, though, may come too soon for the new \u00a379m striker, so the friendly with Yokohama F Marinos next week might be more realistic. Either way, the hard yards start now for the latest addition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">You&#8217;ll Never Walk Alone<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">There was a particularly poignant rendition of You&#8217;ll Never Walk Alone shortly before the players emerged at around 5pm, local time on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">As the Asian supporters sang the famous pre-match anthem, several supporters could be seen in tears as they paid tribute to Diogo Jota, who was killed in a car accident earlier this month with his younger brother, Andre Silva.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh  undefined\">A number of clearly emotional Reds fans could be seen holding up shirts and banners in honour of the Portugal international, whose No.20 shirt has been retired by the club since his passing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Paul Gorst is on tour with Liverpool in Hong Kong and was present to see the Reds in&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":289601,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8815],"tags":[748,393,4884,179,763,107945,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-289600","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-liverpool","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-liverpool","12":"tag-liverpool-fc","13":"tag-liverpool-fc-pre-season-tour","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114911867548255585","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=289600"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289600\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/289601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=289600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=289600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=289600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}