GOOD NEWS: Luis Diaz date of resumption has been verified, as the release of his dad is also noted

After it was reported that his father would be released by rebels in Colombia after being kidnapped last weekend, the Colombia international could be included in the squad for the trip to Luton on Sunday.

According to the Colombian National Liberation Army, Luis Diaz’s father is expected to be released by his kidnappers as soon as possible.

Last Saturday, armed men kidnapped Liverpool star Diaz’s mother Cilenis Marulanda and father Luis Manuel Diaz while they were driving in La Guajira province. The footballer’s mother was released a few hours later, but his father is still being held by the ELN guerilla group.

And Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hinted that Diaz may be available for Sunday’s game against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.

“If he feels right, he will be with us,” Klopp explained. “As you can see, he didn’t get much sleep. The news out of Colombia gives us a glimmer of hope. I’m not sure what we’ll do. It is entirely up to him whether he makes himself available or not.”

The Colombian government’s negotiating delegation with the ELN called for Diaz’s father’s immediate release yesterday, and a spokesman for the left-wing rebels said he will now be released.

“We remind the ELN that kidnapping is criminal, violates international humanitarian law, and that its duty in building the peace process is not just to stop [kidnapping], but to eliminate it forever,” said Otty Patino, head of the government’s peace delegation, in a statement.

Diaz, who joined Liverpool from Porto in January 2022, has been ruled out of the club’s last two

games, with manager Jurgen Klopp citing last weekend’s win over Nottingham Forest as the most “difficult circumstance I’ve ever had.” Diogo Jota celebrated his goal by raising a shirt with Diaz name .

Klopp told Sky Sports: “It was a really difficult day, which ended with a good result.

“The best thing we could do for our brother was win the game and maybe distract him a little bit, everything else was super special in the most negative sense.” You’d think that after over 1,000 games, you’d have seen it all, but you’d be wrong.

“But it’s not about us; it’s about ‘Lucho’ and his family, and we’re all hoping for the best.” We’ve already done what we can in the club, and the only thing we could do today was fight for their brother, which they did.”