Liverpool have been advised to cash in on one player if they’re offered £60m for him this summer.
It emerged last week that Al Hilal manager Jorge Jesus had asked for the signing of Luis Diaz, with the Saudi Pro League club reportedly prepared to offer £43m for the Colombian (Record).
The 26-year-old has largely impressed since coming to Anfield 18 months ago, but former Celtic and West Ham striker Frank McAvennie believes the Reds should gladly accept a £60m bid for him if it lands on their doorstep.
The 63-year-old told Football Insider: “For £50m/£60m for him definitely. I like Diaz as a player and he looked good the other night. I think he could have a good say in what is happening at Liverpool this year.
“If they can get £60m for him I would take it because I think Jurgen can find a better player for that. I think he has got skill but he was running like a headless chicken sometimes last year. I do not think Jurgen has got time for that.
“I think he would like it over there, there would be no pressure and he would be able to showboat a little bit. Whether they keep him or not, I think he would want to go.”
Every player has their price, but there’s no way that Liverpool should agree to let Diaz leave for £60m this summer.
There’s already been a spate of senior departures at Anfield, with two more potentially materialising soon if Fabinho and Jordan Henderson finalise their rumoured moves to Saudi Arabia, so Jurgen Klopp can’t afford to trim his squad much further.
He definitely shouldn’t let the Colombian depart unless a truly game-changing bid is submitted, and £60m doesn’t fall under that category for someone who cost the Reds £37.5m in January 2022 (BBC Sport) and has earned rave reviews for his performances on Merseyside.
Plenty of top footballers around Europe have already been lured to the Middle East by the riches on offer, but Liverpool need to assert their authority as one of the foremost clubs in the world and not bow down submissively to this nouveau riche player magnet.
If any prospective suitor for Diaz truly wants him, they’ll have to do a lot better than £60m.
#Ep82 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Who do Liverpool replace Henderson & Fabinho with?