Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Luis Diaz is in contention to face Leeds United on Monday but revealed there a doubts over two key players ahead of the trip to Elland Road.
Diaz has missed the majority of the season after suffering a knee injury against Arsenal in October.
He had looked like returning after the winter break for the World Cup in Qatar but suffered a setback in his recovery.
“He is now 100 per cent ready in training,” said Klopp.
Liverpool have been cautious with Diaz’s fitness to ensure he doesn’t break down again after sustaining a recurrence of his problem during a warm weather training camp in December.
But the Colombia international, who has scored 10 goals in 38 games since arriving from Porto for a fee that could reach £50 million in January 2022, has been back involved in full sessions with his team-mates this week.
Now a place on the bench against relegation-threatened Leeds at Elland Road looks likely.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Klopp said: “Yeah he’s 100% ready in training. We’ll have to reintegrate him and he’s in the squad.
“He’s developed massively. His English is better, he’s really settled and really matured again. Much more comfortable than he was in the beginning in a new country and we’re really happy to have him back.
“I said at the beginning that he cannot training without a smile and he’s still the same. He’s been out for a long time. He didn’t lose his skills, that’s good, but step-by-step we have to see.”
However, Klopp has admitted that Ibrahima Konate and Alisson Becker both were absent from training earlier this week.
Defender Konate is set to return to training today while goalkeeper Alisson – who has been ever-present in the Premier League – will train individually.
The Reds boss added: “Couple of problems this week. Ibou couldn’t train for two days but should be back today. Ali wasn’t involved but will train today individually. We’ve had a few problems, hopefully don’t get more. I think we have 5-6 players not in the squad (because of a positive injury situation). They’re all training well and there are no easy decisions who stays at home. That’s tough for the boys but really good for us.”
Jurgen Klopp speaks for first time on Jude Bellingham Liverpool decision
Jurgen Klopp has spoken out on Liverpool’s decision to end their pursuit of Jude Bellingham.
As reported by the ECHO on Tuesday night, Liverpool have stepped away from their pursuit of Bellingham after the scale of their required summer midfield overhaul became glaringly apparent.
And asked about his club’s decision for the first time on Friday morning, Klopp said: “There’s nothing to say about it to be honest. If we don’t speak about players we are signing or not signing, why would I talk about it now?”
Before the Liverpool boss added: “It’s not about Jude Bellingham. I never understood why we constantly speak about things we theoretically cannot have. You have to realise what you can do. It’s about what you can do, and you work with that.
You have to work with what you have. We are not children. You wouldn’t say as a five-year-old at Christmas you want a Ferrari, you don’t say ‘that’s a good idea’. It’s too expensive and you can’t drive it.
“Whatever we need and want we try absolutely everything to get it but there are moments when you have to accept it’s not possible and step aside and do different stuff.
The Reds had made Bellingham their top transfer target for much of the season, with Klopp a long-time admirer of the 19-year-old’s talent. However, Borussia Dortmund have slapped a price tag in excess of £100million on the England international.
And as a result of that price tag, Reds boss Klopp and the club’s recruitment team have determined they would be better served spreading the cash on several signings rather than committing the majority to one big-money arrival.
The ECHO understands that Liverpool want to sign at least two midfielders in the summer, with Chelsea’s Mason Mount – who is approaching the last year of his deal at Stamford Bridge and would thus be significantly cheaper than Bellingham — now emerging as the new priority.
Liverpool are also assessing the merits of another Chelsea midfielder, Conor Gallagher, and retain an interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Nunes and Ryan Gravenberch of Bayern Munich.