Luis Diaz to decide Liverpool return while father remains missing

Diaz is back in training but Jurgen Klopp said the winger will decide if he wants to return to the squad after his parents were kidnapped in Colombia

Jurgen Klopp will leave it up to Luis Diaz to decide whether he returns to the Liverpool squad after his parents were kidnapped in his native Colombia and insisted he will not force the winger to play.

Diaz has not featured in the victories over Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth on compassionate grounds after his mother and father were snatched by armed gunmen.

His mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was soon released while a guerilla group, the National Liberation Army, have said they are holding Luis Diaz senior.

Colombian government officials are negotiating with the rebel group and a representative of his kidnappers said that the footballer’s father will be released as soon as possible.

Liverpool play Luton Town on Sunday and Klopp said: “He was in training two days ago, yesterday [Thursday] he did a session and today he will be with the team. If he will feels right, he will be here and train with us. You could see when he’s with the boys it’s fine, but you could also see that he hasn’t slept a lot.

“We have to see how he is and go from there. The news from Colombia I just get forwarded to him but anything that gives us a bit of hope is good. We are waiting for some really good news. I cannot say what we will do [for Sunday]. We just wait. It’s all about him, whether he makes himself available or not. I will not force anything.”

Liverpool will again be without injured midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcatara at Kenilworth Road with Klopp saying the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona player may be out until 2024.

He added: “Thiago is an ongoing thing and we expect him to be back probably start of the new year. We can’t wait to have him back. The player is just exceptional.”