Jamie Carragher defends risky Liverpool decision as Arne Slot problem clear

The former Liverpool defender does not think the Reds were wrong to sell one of their key players last summer, despite how the campaign has panned out for Arne Slot's team

Jamie Carragher does not think Liverpool was wrong to sell Luis Diaz last summer, but admits the club misses him(Image: (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images))

Jamie Carragher has defended Liverpool’s decision to sell Luis Diaz last summer, but admitted the Reds are missing the Colombian winger.

Diaz joined Bayern Munich last summer for a fee of £66 million ($88M/€75M) despite him playing a major role in the Reds’ title triumph last season. He featured in 36 league games and contributed 13 goals and seven assists, while operating in several different roles for Arne Slot, including up front.

Despite that, Liverpool was reluctant to offer him a new contract on vastly improved terms last summer, despite Diaz entering the final two years of his deal. So when Bayern came calling, it was a transfer that made sense for all parties.

However, much of Liverpool’s problems this season have been attributed to Diaz’s exit, and with Slot unwilling to hand Rio Ngumoha and Federico Chiesa regular minutes, the Reds have lacked options in the wide areas.

Yet Carragher feels the decision to sell one of the club’s key attackers was justifiable.

“No [Liverpool wasn’t wrong to sell him], but they miss him as a player, 100 percent,” opined the former defender during CBS Sports' Tuesday Champions League coverage.

“That was always going to be the case as he was a really good player for Liverpool, but sometimes you get presented deals as a club, and at the time that was a good deal for Liverpool.

Diaz played a major role in Liverpool's title victory(Image: Getty Images)

“Liverpool bought Luis Diaz for around £40M. They had him for about four seasons. He was due for a new contract and he had been on the same contract since he first came.

“He wasn’t on huge wages and the next one would have put him on a real big contract, and then Liverpool would have him on a contract into his early 30s, which is probably not what they wanted.

“Bayern Munich had a problem because they tried to get Florian Wirtz, obviously, he came to Liverpool. Then [Jamal] Musiala got injured in the Club World Cup, so they were so desperate for a player they ended up paying around £70M for Luis Diaz at 28.

“So the whole package, was a good deal. He’s still a really good player. That last season for Liverpool and we’re now seeing that at Bayern Munich. But I wouldn’t criticize the club for it.”

Carragher was speaking on the night Diaz scored the opening goal in Bayern’s 2-1 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal tie.

His ex-teammate Steven Gerrard was in agreement that Liverpool misses Diaz, claiming on TNT Sports’ coverage of the game that he would take the 29-year-old back at Anfield.

“Oh yeah we do [miss him], we miss him a lot. He's been quite quiet in this game, surprisingly.

“But you can't sleep when Luis Diaz is about. The timing of his run, his speed, and the finish is exquisite.”