Arne Slot defends Luis Diaz transfer and claims everyone has forgotten about Liverpool signing

The Liverpool head coach has pointed to Luis Diaz's departure last summer to justify the club's transfer strategy, but he feels criticism of that sale is misguided

Arne Slot feels Alexander Isak's injury is not mentioned enough when the departure of Luis Diaz is discussed

Arne Slot feels the debate around whether Liverpool misses Luis Diaz this season has been exacerbated by the ongoing absence of Alexander Isak.

The Reds striker has endured a difficult first campaign at Anfield, which has seen him start just six Premier League matches and fail to complete a full 90 minutes since his record-breaking arrival from Newcastle United last summer.

Isak has not played since December after suffering a broken leg in scoring what proved to be the winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur, but is expected back in the coming months. The Reds have recently found some fluency in attack, but Liverpool’s inability to create and score chances was criticized earlier this season.

Given Luis Diaz’s attacking returns during his time on Merseyside, there have also been accusations from several pundits that Liverpool was mistaken to sell the Colombian last summer.

However, despite managing 32 goal contributions at Bayern Munich this season, it’s a decision Slot stands by.

“You always miss good football players. He was so important for us last season, but he wasn’t the only one,” opined the Liverpool head coach ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland.

“There were more players that were influential in our results. But I think we have replaced them with very good players as well.

Diaz has enjoyed a fantastic campaign at Bayern(Image: Inaki Esnaola/Getty Images)

“It is maybe more fair to say that if Alex had been fit, would we have spoken about it then as well?"

Diaz was sold to Bayern for a fee of €75 million ($88M/£66M), an offer Liverpool felt it could not turn down for a 28-year-old, who had two years remaining on his contract and was demanding a significant pay raise to remain at Anfield.

Liverpool was unwilling to sanction that increase and felt a transfer to Bayern was in everyone’s best interest when the German champions made their interest known.

“Luis Diaz is another example of how this club is run. If this club gets, for a 28-year-old, an offer like that, then this club, because it is built on sustainability, chooses to sell a player and we are an exception in the Premier League, especially at the top of the Premier League, for that,” said Slot.

“But that is why it is also so nice that we are able to achieve the things we have achieved in the last few years with that model. But he is doing very well at Bayern and that is not a surprise to me.”