2 weeks ago
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There must have been at least some sense of relief at Liverpool when Luis Diaz’s transfer to Bayern Munich was agreed.
There’s no doubt the Reds didn’t want to lose such a talented player, but Diaz had become an awkward and slightly messy situation for the club. Just how toxic the relationship became is unclear - it certainly didn’t impact his performances or show in training sessions - but beneath the surface, there were certainly frustrations.
His salary and contract length were at the heart of that irritation. It’s understandable that Diaz wanted an upgrade on the terms he first signed in 2022, and given he’s certainly played his part in Liverpool’s success in that period, the Colombian will feel an upgrade was deserved.
But finding a solution on wage demands proved impossible. Twice, the club tried and failed to find a middle ground. Michael Edwards won’t allow sentiment to cloud his judgment on such matters, and at 28, FSG may understandably feel that moving Diaz on for a fee of €75 million ($88M/65M) is shrewd business.
That the club only paid €49M (£57M/£43M) for the player, who has contributed three and a half impressive seasons at Anfield, and leaves for a profit, does represent prudent financial planning - even more so given he entered the final two years of his contract this month. With other expensive irons in fire, the fee from Diaz can also be distributed into strengthening Arne Slot’s squad.
Having held off Diaz’s exit over the last year, the Reds finally relented when Bayern offered what they felt was a fair market value for the player. On Sunday, Diaz was given permission to leave the club’s pre-season camp in Japan.
Yet, it’s a transfer that doesn’t come without its downsides. For a start, Liverpool has rowed back on its €100M ($116M/£87M) price tag, a figure being bandied about just two weeks ago, and has allowed one of Slot’s most dependable players to leave. Diaz missed just two Premier League matches last season, and only Mohamed Salah made more appearances across all competitions.
That he is a versatile forward, capable of playing across the front three, is supremely talented, has experience at Premier League level, and routinely produced game-changing moments for Liverpool should not be overlooked.
But more pressingly, it leaves Slot’s squad light on wide options. Salah and Gakpo are the only senior wingers on tour, with Federico Chiesa also expected to move on before the end of the window.
There is the precocious Rio Ngumoha at Slot’s disposal and possibly Ben Doak, but neither has a proven track record at first-team level. Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong, Hugo Ekitike, and Harvey Elliott can all be deployed on the flanks, but again, none represent a natural fit.
The obvious solution is to sign a replacement for Diaz, but two pressing transfer topics could prevent this.
The first is Alexander Isak, who Liverpool enquired about just two weeks ago. He offers a unique opportunity for the Premier League champions, and his unexpected availability could alter the Reds’ transfer plans even if they just signed a new No. 9 for $106M (£79M) five days ago.
Splashing out on another striker so soon would be an unorthodox move, particularly for FSG, but can it allow a potentially transformative star, who appears hellbent on leaving Newcastle, to slip through its clutches? Given Anfield appears to be the only viable destination this summer is an important factor to consider - that might not be the case next year.
Then there’s the center-back saga. With Joe Gomez now injured, Liverpool desperately needs to strengthen at the heart of defense. In fact, most view it as a priority over the coming weeks, given that Slot only has two senior options available.
The two parallel transfer narratives do put a slightly different sheen on Diaz’s exit. Despite a healthy and productive window to date, it still feels like significant work is required in the next weeks.
It may feel like an offer the Reds couldn’t turn down, but Diaz’s exit does pose problems for Richard Hughes and Edwards to sort before the window shuts on September 1.
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