Thiago Alcantara is back in training for Liverpool, handing Jurgen Klopp 's side an added boost ahead of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane 's returns from the Africa Cup of Nations.
The midfielder has been ruled out with a hip injury since December 16 after beginning to prove himself as one of the Premier League 's best midfielders this season.
And after seven weeks on the sidelines, Thiago has now rejoined Klopp's squad at their Kirby training base and could even feature in the Reds' FA Cup fourth-round clash with Cardiff City on Sunday.
While Salah and Mane will be unavailable for the trip thanks to their participation of the AFCON semi-finals, the trio's eventual return comes at a welcome point in the campaign, with the £50million signing of Luis Diaz another major plus.
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Liverpool face a crunch February, with the aforementioned cup tie kicking off six fixtures in the space of 21 days.
That includes the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea and their Champions League round-of-16 first leg away to Inter Milan.
But Klopp will feel far more confident now that Thiago is back in contention, having rubbished rumours that he could be out until the end of the season.
The 30-year-old endured an injury-hit first term at Anfield but his second has been much more successful, providing the Reds will a creative spark from midfield - which has been sorely missed in his absence - and contributing to three goals.
That being said, this season has seen the maestro make just eight Premier League starts amid a total of 14 appearances, having also sustained a calf injury and contracted COVID-19.
Klopp and co worked hard to bring the former Barcelona playmaker to Merseyside in the summer of 2020, with Liverpool eventually splashing out £27.3million on him from previous employers Bayern Munich.
Upon Thiago's anniversary of signing, the German boss defended his No.6 after criticism during his first year and allayed any fears that English football was not for him.
"There's a lot more to come, of course. Maybe it's now a year but if you want it's actually only half a year because of all the things that happened around," Klopp told the Reds' website.
"Coming to a new club in the most difficult period of all our lives, he settled really well despite that. His family is here, loves it here.
"He's in the middle of the team – it was very quick the case – and he's a really good character and really good personality and obviously a world-class player. So, all fine."
