The Luis Díaz Sale Can Cause a Domino Effect

Despite having a good overall season, the output of the Columbium flyer, Luis Díaz, in the 2023/24 campaign was often lacking in its final product. The electric runs and willingness to work hard were of course tremendous traits to be admired, however, when a certain Sadio Mané is the predecessor for the left forward role, it sets the bar very high indeed.

With a total of thirteen goals and five assists across 51 games, it is hard to justify not moving on a player that seems infinitely keen to depart Merseyside. Last summer (and for a large part of the previous campaign), rumblings of a desire (by the players father) to move to Barcelona continued to grow and grow. With the past season now ended and as we head towards the opening of the summer transfer window, more speculation surrounds the future of the former Porto man, with both that Catalan giants and PSG showing serious interest in signing the 27-year-old.

The current contract of the fleet footed winger is not due to expire until June 2027, therefore, Liverpool’s new Sporting CEO, Michael Edwards, holds all the cards and can quite rightly demand a high fee for an international star that cost the reds £40m in January of 2022.

Likelihood of a Sale?

I cannot see a way in which Arne Slot begins his role as Liverpool’s head coach, with a player championing a move away. The constant noise and gossip will last all summer long, which makes a summer sale very likely to materialize, sooner rather than later. Despite having rather humble goal involvements last term, it was of course within a period where the likes of Cody Gakpo and Darwin Núñez were sporadic in their own form and production. A regeneration season is never easy to find rhythm, especially when you consider that his own father was kidnapped earlier in the campaign.

Regardless of that horrendous final fact (which was thankfully resolved), the truth is still that the 48-cap Columbian has not been able to fill the boots of his former Senegalese teammate, Sadio Mané. This entire scenario creates the opportunity to double the initial outlay for him, something that would be very tantalizing to the new Anfield Sporting Director, Richard Hughes, as he looks to imprint his ideas on the squad.

Some form of reinvention will have to be realised under new leadership and the sale of a senior player will surely set a marker for the whole squad. The contract situations of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander Arnold, are far more important issues, which probably points to the overall picture of a Diaz sale and the priorities that lay ahead.

A vibrant system and altered style of play is very much on the horizon and if that new landscape does not include Liverpool’s popular number 23, I would trust Michael Edward’s and his recruitment team to spend what would likely be north of £70m in fees. The historic club in red must always come before any single player, therefore, if the player wants to move on to pastures new, I hope it happens very soon, so that the domino effect can allow new recruits to start being targeted.