Liverpool could ditch Diaz in pursuit of an exciting £40m full-back

Many eyebrows were raised in Merseyside when it was said that Liverpool striker Luis Diaz has agreed a contract with one of the Premier League rivals.

Reporter Marcos Benito reported that the Colombian player reached a five-year contract with Manchester City champions.

The journalist added that Pep Guardiola's side were willing to offer around €70m (£60m) to take him to Anfield this summer.

However, it didn't take long for those rumors to be dispelled as Sam Lee of The Athletic, who covers Cityzens, confirmed that there is no truth in this speculation.

Luis Diaz's future at Liverpool

Speaking on Anfield Agenda, journalist David Lynch revealed that, despite reports that City are interested, Liverpool are open to cashing in on the winger this summer.

The journalist said that the Reds would like to move the player who played for Porto before the end of the transfer window if they can find someone to replace him and attack from the sides.

With this in mind, Arne Slot may drop Diaz brutally, if there is a team that is genuinely interested in signing him, by swooping for target Johan Bakayoko.

The Mirror recently reported that the PSV striker is a long-term target for Liverpool as they look for potential signings to strengthen their options in the side.

A fee of between £35m and £40m was reported earlier this summer but it remains to be seen how much the Reds are willing to pay for his services.

Why Liverpool should sign Johan Bakayoko

Liverpool should sign Bakayoko to give Slot a natural alternative to Mo Salah on the right side, as another right winger on the left.

That would leave Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, and Cody Gakpo to all play on the left side of the front three, while all three could play as a center forward.

So, kicking Diaz out of the squad to bring in the PSV star could give Slot more balance in his options up front.

As you can see in the table above, Bakayoko is the most successful Colombian winger in the final third, although he is a different part, with more goals, more chances created, and he helps in the smaller league view.

While Diaz underperformed his xG by nearly four goals, the PSV whiz surpassed his by just over three. This suggests that the Belgian is a ruthless coach who can make the most of the opportunities created by Liverpool, which cannot be said of the current Reds man.

Bakayoko, who was described as “exciting to watch” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is also six years younger than the Colombia international, meaning he has more time on his hands to develop and improve, while seemingly having the chance to contribute. more quality at the end of the pitch.

Therefore, the Slot should brutally cut Diaz from his team this summer, if possible, and replace him with a 21-year-old star to compete for the rest of the position.