Liverpool are undertaking their second pre-season visit to the USA in three years, as the Reds continue to adjust to life without the services of their erstwhile superstar Luis Suarez.
Their first – and main - port of call is Boston, with the focal point of the Reds’ stay in Beantown being the Football at Fenway event which will see them taking on Italian giants AS Roma at Fenway Park on Wednesday night.
The recent sale of Suarez to Barcelona brought $128 million into the Anfield coffers, and the indications are that manager Brendan Rodgers will have access to all of it in order to make the Reds competitive on both the Premier League and Champions League fronts.
Rodgers has already been quite busy in the transfer market this summer. England internationals Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana have been acquired from Southampton, while German midfielder Emre Can and highly-rated Serbian attacker Lazar Markovic have also been added to an increasingly strong squad.
Striker Fabio Borini is on the verge of a move to Sunderland in a deal worth up to $24 million, but he is set to be replaced by French international Loric Remy after Liverpool offered enough to trigger the forward’s release clause at newly-promoted QPR.
Of the new signings, Lambert and Can made their debuts in a 2-1 friendly win over Preston North End on Saturday. Established players Martin Skrtel, Lucas Leiva, Philippe Coutinho, Jon Flanagan and Joe Allen have featured heavily in Liverpool’s two pre-season games to date, and are almost certain to see some action at Fenway.
However, Rodgers has included a number of talented youngsters in a travelling squad of over 30 players, and so Liverpool fans will also get the opportunity to see at first hand what is coming through the ranks.
One starlet to keep a close eye on is Jordan Ibe. Blessed with explosive pace and powerfully-built to boot, the 18-year-old has come back from a loan spell at Birmingham City a more developed player. Raheem Sterling had a meteoric rise last season, and Ibe could be the next Liverpool teenager to take the Premier League by storm.
The Football at Fenway event takes place this Wednesday, July 23rd, with kick-off scheduled for 7.30pm. Tickets for the game start at $30 and can be purchased by phone on 877-REDSOX9, or online at www.redsox.com/footballatfenway.
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