1 week ago
76
Former Liverpool forward John Aldridge has said Liverpool must sign a new center forward this summer and warned against letting Luis Diaz leave.
It has been a busy few days on the transfer front. The Reds rejected a $79million (£59M) bid for Diaz, sticking to their stance that the winger is not for sale this summer. That he has just two years left on his contract does pose a problem, however.
Meanwhile, Liverpool is making moves to try and sign a new no.9. An exploratory approach was made for Alexander Isak on Tuesday, with reports the following day claiming that a similar enquiry has been made on the availability of Hugo Ekitike at Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Frenchman is also reportedly in talks to sign for Newcastle United, adding a further complication in the ongoing transfer saga. Aldridge, the Reds' ex-striker, feels Isak would represent the “perfect addition” to Arne Slot’s Premier League-winning squad.
“Liverpool have some thinking to do in regard to the center forward position,” Aldridge told BetBrain.
“If the club are going to replace Darwin Nunez, who are they going to bring in? Will Florian Wirtz play as a false nine?
“For me, Alexander Isak is the player on everyone’s mind and would be the perfect addition up front.
“He’d be a superb signing, but I can’t see Newcastle letting him go, and if they did, it would be for a huge fee.
"I don’t know what the club’s plans are, but they need to get something sorted before the start of the season,” he added.
As for Diaz, his uncertain future is creating an unwanted distraction. Liverpool remains adamant that it will not sell for a figure beneath €100M ($116M/£87M). However, it doesn’t plan to begin contract negotiations despite the ex-Porto attacker having just two years remaining on his deal at Anfield.
Aldridge wants to see the Colombian stay at Liverpool in the long term.
“Liverpool also can’t allow Luiz Diaz’s contract to run down and him leave for free,” opined the former Republic of Ireland international. “No player is bigger than the club, as they say.
“There’s so much happening at Liverpool right now; they don’t need another saga with a player’s contract – we all saw what happened with Trent Alexander-Arnold. If it was down to me, I’d give Diaz a new contract. I want him to stay.”
English (US) ·