Fabrizio Romano has spoken out emphatically about various rumours regarding possible player exits at Liverpool, declaring such speculation to be ‘absolutely not true’.
In recent days, Stan Collymore mentioned to CaughtOffside that “There have been whispers of Luis Diaz being sacrificed by Liverpool so the club can keep Mo Salah out of the clutches of the Saudi Pro League”.
However, in his Daily Briefing column for CaughtOffside on Saturday morning, the Italian stressed that the only priority for Anfield chiefs right now is to appoint a sporting director and, in turn, a new manager.
Romano outlined: “There’s lots of talk about possible transfers at Liverpool, but I’d not link Mo Salah’s situation to Luis Diaz, honestly.
“Also in general, for Liverpool, with no director and no new manager yet, it’s absolutely not true that they are making concrete strategies on any player or any exit.
“A new director is the priority, then a new manager and then an agreed strategy on players. Nothing is happening right now.”
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Speculation will inevitably abound about the futures of some Liverpool players amid Jurgen Klopp’s impending exit at the end of this season, but what Romano’s saying makes plenty of sense.
It’s difficult to formulate a clear strategy regarding player incomings and outgoings when there isn’t a sporting director in place, and when a new manager needs to be appointed ahead of the summer transfer window.
Depending on who’s hired for those roles, the various candidates could have contrasting viewpoints on certain members of the current squad.
It’s a step-by-step process in which one domino needs to fall before the others can do so. Right now, the key is to find a successor to Jorg Schmadtke, and duly Klopp’s replacement, before Liverpool can strategise about which players to retain and who could leave in the off-season.
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