Slot should ditch Liverpool star whose worth has risen £38m

Liverpool is about to step into the unknown, the murky mists of post-Jurgen Klopp life on Merseyside, a brand new starting after an illustrious interval that has seen the membership win all of it, rise from the rubble and enjoy a newfound place of energy on the top of the continent.

Third-place within the Premier League with three fixtures to play, Liverpool have come on leaps and bounds after dropping by the wayside final yr, with Klopp’s sweeping summer season adjustments working wonders, restoring the squad’s energy and clinching the Carabao Cup.

However Klopp’s squad had been a day late and a greenback brief within the Premier League title race after latest outcomes handed Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis a foothold at this late part.

The esteemed German supervisor will step down from his place on the helm, however FSG have moved astutely to craft a brand new infrastructure, with Arne Slot set to be introduced as the brand new head coach.

The present Feyenoord boss can have a lot to chew over, with one of the vital urgent points being the way forward for Luis Diaz, who is likely to be higher off being offered this summer season regardless of his spectacular type.

Why Liverpool signed Luis Diaz

With Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane all out of contract on the finish of the 2022/23 marketing campaign, Liverpool had been all the time going to discover a powerful process in protecting the three skilled forwards on the books.

Firmino was allowed to see his contract out and Salah penned a brand new profitable deal, however Mane was offered to Bayern Munich in a £35m deal after an unbelievable profession on Merseyside.

Mane’s sale was clearly, to a level, predetermined, for the Reds had moved to signal Diaz from Portuguese aspect FC Porto in a £37m switch again in January 2022.

And whereas the Colombia worldwide has discovered comparative ranges of success beneath Klopp’s wing, he has solely scored 24 objectives and added 13 assists throughout 96 fixtures.

Luis Diaz’s season in numbers

Diaz spent the lion’s share of the 2022/23 season sidelined by a knee harm, so it was pure that his early-season fluency was not going to be all there.

That state of affairs was compounded by a household state of affairs involving his father that naturally precluded him from enjoying his most interesting soccer, however Diaz has gone from energy to energy in latest months and has been praised for his “good” performances by The Athletic’s James Pearce.

However he is nonetheless not enjoying to a top that locations him on the identical calibre as Mane, and Liverpool is likely to be satisfied that the start of a brand new chapter requires a recent face.

If evaluating these metrics with Mane throughout his ultimate marketing campaign within the Premier League, it shortly turns into clear that maybe Liverpool may discover a more practical cog from the left wing.

As per FBref, Diaz ranks among the many prime 12% of positional friends throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous yr for photographs taken and shot-creating actions, the highest 7% for cross completion and the highest 6% for touches within the attacking penalty space per 90.

There is no doubt that Diaz is a gifted winger, however there are growing questions over whether or not he’s the fitting man to steer from the flank over the approaching years, particularly given the curiosity in his signature.

Why Luis Diaz have to be offered

Liverpool’s frontline has stirred loads of debate in latest weeks. Diogo Jota is scientific and Liverpool’s most interesting pure finisher, rating among the many prime 1% of forwards throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous yr for objectives per 90, however he is additionally worryingly injury-prone.

Cody Gakpo is dynamic and versatile however has but to hit his most interesting type on Merseyside. Salah’s future lurks like encroaching mist, out of contract in 2025, although sources have downplayed a summer season sale.

Then there’s Darwin Nunez, after which there’s Diaz. The futures of those South American forwards linger as essentially the most pertinent and urgent issues of Slot’s earliest stage as Liverpool supervisor.

Nunez joined Liverpool as their club-record signing for £85m however has flattered to deceive in latest video games, alienating himself from the supporters’ good books after deleting Liverpool footage from Instagram after receiving criticisms for his poor type.

Barcelona are lurking for the Uruguayan’s signature as they appear to land a long-term inheritor for Robert Lewandowski and Stan Collymore has mused that he is likely to be “higher off” leaving Liverpool.

That leaves Diaz. The Colombian has been an electrical and spectacular presence all through 2024, together with his drive and doggedness profitable the group over.

Nevertheless, he is not a goalscoring winger like his Senegalese predecessor or certainly his Egyptian counterpart on the alternate wing, and whereas it is necessary to contemplate his performances as a complete, Diaz is 27 years previous and is contracted till 2027 – his worth will begin to depreciate from this level.

And contemplating that Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have expressed an curiosity in signing the £55k-per-week star, whom Liverpool have valued at £75m, it is likely to be price cashing in for max worth and reinvesting elsewhere.

Furthermore, The Athletic’s David Ornstein not too long ago stoked the fireplace after revealing that Liverpool are available in the market for a large ahead this summer season, with West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus talked about and Michael Olise and Jarrod Bowen are names that will likely be uttered in Michael Edwards’ switch conferences.

Diaz was topped Liverpool’s Participant of the Month for April after producing some glorious, high-energy shows, and whereas this speaks of his high quality, it additionally speaks of the worth in cashing in now, on condition that his worth has risen by £38m since arriving on English shores two-and-a-half years in the past.

In the end, Edwards and his staff will work meticulously to enhance this Liverpool aspect, and if the fitting alternative materialises, Diaz have to be offered.