Liverpool boost as Conor Bradley steps up recovery after 10 months out injured – but fans must wait longer for Hugo Ekitike comeback

DAILYMAIL.COM • 19h ago

By LEWIS STEELE, FOOTBALL REPORTER 22:30 15 Oct 2026, updated 22:30 15 Oct 2026

Liverpool full back Conor Bradley is stepping up his recovery from an injury after missing 10 months of action.

Boss Andoni Iraola offered a rare update on the Northern Irishman and his fellow stricken team-mate Hugo Ekitike, saying that both are on the comeback trail.

It comes alongside news that young defender Giovanni Leoni has suffered a setback in his recovery from a 13-month lay-off and will not be fit for at least another month.

Asked about Bradley and Ekitike, Iraola said: ‘They are both doing very well. I think they are in a good place.

‘Conor is not so far from training with the group – not like full training but doing some things with the group.

‘Hugo is a little bit behind that but that was always the plan. He is still doing very well according to the plan.

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On Leoni, Iraola said: ‘It is taking more time than we wanted. With Gio, the planning was to train with the team in this past international break.

‘It is probably now going to be the next international break, so we have lost one month in the process.

‘Giovanni’s injury, I wasn’t here but talking to the medical department it wasn’t just an ACL. It was a bad injury, a lot of things around the knee were involved apart from the ACL.

‘I think he has to be very confident in the rehab and the process has to be very careful with him. We want to make sure once he comes to the team he stays there in a good place. It’s true we’ve had a little bit of not a setback but a delay if you want.

‘The plan now is he starts in the next break. It’s not that far off, but a little bit later than we expected.’

Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak remain doubts for Saturday’s trip to Brentford after missing the last two matches – but Iraola has not ruled any of them out and they all have a chance of proving their fitness.

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