The rumour that Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz had inked a deal with one of the team’s Premier League rivals caused quite a stir on Merseyside.
The Colombian international and the defending champion Manchester City have agreed to a five-year contract, according to journalist Marcos Benito.
The reporter went on to say that Pep Guardiola’s team was ready to pay roughly €70 million (£60 million) to acquire him from Anfield this summer.
However, it didn’t take long for that idea to be debunked; Sam Lee of The Athletic, who follows the Cityzens, verified that the rumours were untrue.
The future of Luis Diaz at LiverpoolJournalist David Lynch stated on The Anfield Agenda that Liverpool is willing to make a move for the winger this summer, even in light of rumours indicating that City is interested.According to the report, the Reds are open to trading the former Porto star before the transfer window closes if they can find a replacement who can produce greater attacking production on the flank.
In light of this, Arne Slot might ruthlessly pass on Diaz by making a move for Johan Bakayoko, the alleged target, if a team is actually interested in signing him.
The PSV forward is reportedly a long-term aim for Liverpool, who are looking for individuals who could improve their options on the wings, according to a recent report from The Mirror.It’s unclear how much the Reds would be willing to spend for his talents despite reports earlier this summer suggesting a possible value of between £35 million and £40 million.
Reasons for signing Johan Bakayoko by LiverpoolAs another left-footed right-sided winger, Liverpool should recruit Bakayoko to provide Slot a natural replacement for Mo Salah on the right flank.Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, and Cody Gakpo, who can all play as central strikers as well as on the left side of the front three, would thus be left.Thus, Slot may have more alternatives across the front line if he brutally drops Diaz from the team and brings in the PSV sensation.
The table above shows that, despite playing in a different division, Bakayoko surpassed the Colombian winger in the final third, scoring more goals, creating more good opportunities, and dishing out assists in fewer league games.The PSV wizard outperformed Diaz by just over three goals, while Diaz underperformed his xG by nearly four. This implies that, unlike the present Reds player, the Belgian international is a merciless finisher who might take full advantage of the opportunities that Liverpool creates.Six years younger than the Colombian international, Bakayoko was called “fun to watch” by U23 scout Antonio Mango.