Liverpool were handed some ‘really sad’ news on the Luis Diaz front as the Colombian suffered an injury setback during the club’s warm weather training camp in Dubai.
Speaking ahead of the Reds’ League Cup clash with Manchester City, however, Pep Lijnders put forward a positive message on the player’s recovery efforts in addition to confirming the smooth progress of Curtis Jones, Kaide Gordon and Diogo Jota (as relayed in tweets from Neil Jones and James Pearce).
Lijnders confirms here that Curtis Jones is a week away from team training, that Kaide Gordon is close to a return, and that Diogo Jota is 'inside the timeframe' for his comeback.#LFC https://t.co/Bm3lmgdIR1
— Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) December 21, 2022
Lijnders on Jota/Diaz: "For Luis, for the team, it’s really sad it happened but he will take this time to come back stronger. Jota is in the timeframe. He was with us in Dubai, in the video meetings."
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) December 21, 2022
With the current front-three options looking more than slim, the prospect of having the Portuguese international back in the relatively near future will be a more than welcome one at a time when the side’s efforts in the transfer market will be primarily focused on reinforcing the midfield department.
We’ll have to do without in the meantime against top-quality opposition in the form of Manchester City (though Pep Guardiola’s outfit is said to be having their own selection struggles ahead of tomorrow’s tie).
Gordon and Jones are two players with potentially very bright futures at Anfield, though, at 21 years of age, the former is under far more pressure to start delivering – particularly in light of the fact that the likes of Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez are being eyed up by the recruitment team to bolster an already star-studded midfield.
Jurgen Klopp will certainly give the Scouser time to grow, despite the jury being out amongst the fans, and we’d love nothing more than to see another homegrown talent succeed on Merseyside.