An alleged Saudi Arabian club’s latest target for a Liverpool player is Luis Diaz.
The major impediment to the summer transfer window has been them. similar to how the release of the iPod by Apple led to the demise of CDs or how Netflix replaced Blockbuster as the preferred method for renting movies.
Of course, unlike the aforementioned two, the Premier League won’t disappear due to the Saudi Pro League. The NFL’s top division will continue to draw the most attention. But there’s no denying that the enormous sums of money Saudi Arabia has been paying players has upset the balance.
Just ask Jurgen Klopp how it has affected his plans. The Liverpool manager must have believed that after spending a combined £95 million on Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, he could begin implementing his 2023–24 season plan. His squad’s need for restocking had always been in the midfield, which was filled even before the Reds reported back for duty.
Now, however, Saudi Arabia is looking for two players he had targeted for his scheme. It seems likely that Fabinho will travel to the Middle East. A £40 million bid from Al-Ittihad caused him to be dropped from Liverpool’s preseason tour of Germany.
Conversely, Jordan Henderson might also be on the way. Steven Gerrard, a former teammate of his at Anfield and a pillar of the Kop, wants to lure the Reds captain to Al-Ettifaq, but the requested fee is proving to be a roadblock. Another player who has received envious looks from Saudis is Thiago Alcantara.
Nevertheless, there has been a time when the futures of all three have been questioned in relation to Merseyside. Despite leading Klopp’s team, Henderson has frequently been made the whipping boy. Fabinho’s legs, according to some, gave out last season amid an unexpected, startling drop in form. Even though the swashbuckling Thiago’s range of passing has mesmerized many, it is challenging to defend his injury history.
But it would take hours or even days of arduous searching to locate someone who agreed that Luis Diaz, the most recent player to be linked to a move to Saudi Arabia, should be sold.
Al-Hilal may be ready to make a £43 million offer, according to the Portuguese newspaper Record. But in reality, unless an offer is made that Liverpool simply cannot refuse, there isn’t a chance that he will be allowed to leave.
The winger had a huge impact after joining for an initial £37.5 million from Porto in January 2022. Only Virgil van Dijk has established himself so quickly since joining Jurgen Klopp’s team in the middle of a season. Sadio Mane was moved from his usual left flank position to a central one to make room for Diaz, who quickly forced his way into the Reds’ starting lineup. Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino were consequently demoted in the pecking order.
Diaz started the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid as well as the Carabao Cup and FA Cup victories over Chelsea. He made 26 appearances and finished the 2021–22 season with six goals and five assists. a trustworthy beginning.
The idea of the harm the tenacious Diaz could cause over the course of an entire campaign left Kopites purring. The 27-year-old was among the few players to perform to expectations despite Liverpool’s underwhelming start to the previous season. He had four goals and three assists before suffering a fatal knee injury at Arsenal in October.
Initially, there was hope Diaz would come back after the season’s break for the World Cup. Two months after his initial problem, he briefly returned to training during a training camp in Dubai, but his recovery faltered and surgery was required.
For all of us and for him, it is obvious that this is a huge disappointment, according to Klopp. “The training scenario was nonexistent. There was nothing before he felt anything. The following day, [he] didn’t feel too much, but we wanted to be extremely cautious, so we said: “Okay, come on, let’s take a quick look.”. And then the news broke, which was a real kick in the face. ”.
Six months later, Diaz would finally make his comeback off the bench in a 6-1 thrashing of Leeds United. At Elland Road, the traveling supporters gave him a rousing reception, and he quickly forced his way back into Liverpool’s starting lineup.
Diaz played a part in each of Liverpool’s six victories in a row during the crucial portion of the season. The Reds secured what had appeared to be an unlikely fifth-place finish when he scored in the thrilling 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
And Klopp’s praise of Diaz during that winning streak only served to emphasize how important he is to the Reds’ plans.
Klopp praised Diaz’s comeback, calling it “fantastic.”. “We have always been excited about it, and we are now even more so. The thing is, he was sidelined following the injury he sustained in the Arsenal game—a very odd match, by the way—and returned while we were in a World Cup training camp in Dubai, so we all thought: “Finally back.”.
“He trained exceptionally, beyond exceptional, and he only slightly fell on the grass, felt something, continued, and everything was fine. ‘Yeah, I feel a little bit after training. Look at it. Another scan isn’t due for three more months or whatever. Absolutely horrible.
“He plays naturally.
He is my favorite person, without a doubt. It’s incomprehensible. He plays such smart football; he moves in the appropriate spots, defends naturally from his position, is a goal threat, quick, and cheeky. I must say, he’s a very, very special player. He was greatly missed by all of us. ”.
With strong offensive options, Klopp is prepared for the upcoming campaign. Mo Salah will continue to be the talisman, and Jota, who suffered a severe calf injury himself last season, has proven to be a dependable player. Darwin Nunez, who showed flashes of his talent during the previous season, will be expected to be more composed during his second season at Anfield. Cody Gakpo, who joined the team from PSV Eindhoven in January, has made impressive progress and will gain from a full preseason.
But most supporters will agree that Diaz will start on the left flank against Chelsea on August 13 if everyone is healthy.
