Diogo Jota remains on course for a return to action in the new year – as Liverpool continue to ponder their January transfer options.
Jota has been sidelined since damaging his calf towards the end of 1-0 Premier League win over Manchester City in October, an injury that ruled him out of the recent World Cup.
The Portugal international continued his rehabilitation during the warm-weather training camp in Dubai last week, and has targeted February’s Champions League round of 16 clash with Real Madrid as a comeback date.
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And offering an update on Jota’s fitness, Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders said on Wednesday: “Jota is within the timeframe. He was with us in Dubai. It was nice for someone with a long-term injury to get out of the English weather. He was in all the video meetings and we had a lot of them.”
Liverpool will also be without Luis Diaz when they resume after the World Cup break with their Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at City on Thursday evening, the winger likely to be out until March after surgery on a knee issue aggravated earlier this month.
“We all know the impact Luis had on this team,” said Lijnders. “For him and for the team, it’s really sad it happened. But he has the character to come back strong and really help us. Hopefully everything goes smoothly.”
Curtis Jones remains a week away from a return to full team training, but both Joel Matip and Naby Keita are back in contention having featured in the recent friendlies against Lyon and AC Milan.
Liverpool will make a late decision on which of their World Cup participants will be available to play, although Ibrahima Konate is definitely absent having been given a break after featuring for France in their defeat to Argentina in Sunday’s final.
“It’s new for us with a World Cup in the middle of the season,” said Lijnders. “The ones who played at the World Cup made a lot of people proud. They have rhythm but they needed some time off as well. Players like Hendo, Trent, Ali and Fabinho came back with a strong feeling and good energy, which is important.
“We had a really good training camp in Dubai. The togetherness, the spirit, the hunger, the passion, the fight. This team is 100% motivated for City and for the second half of the season.”
Liverpool’s injury problems during the first part of the season have heightened suggestions they could bolster their squad in the January transfer window. And when pressed on any possible transfer business, Lijnders said: “This is the press room, not the boardroom! We discuss those things in the boardroom, so next time Jurgen is here, ask him!
“About the transfer window... we are always ready, we always prepare. If the right player, the right moment, the right feeling, we are always prepared.”
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