Liverpool’s squad underwent a drastic change over the summer after winning the title in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
Much was made of the Premier League record-breaking £446.5million that the Reds spent over the summer, with the likes of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz being brought to Anfield for fees over £100million.
However, despite being the highest spenders in Europe over the summer, Liverpool also sanctioned multiple sales.
The Reds received fees of around £228million for eight players in the summer, but the departure of one particular member of Liverpool’s squad proved divisive.
Richard Hughes sanctioned the sale of Luis Diaz despite Arne Slot’s objections
Liverpool remain in the market for a new winger, with Bournemouth ace Antoine Semenyo being linked with a move to Anfield.
The potential signing of Semenyo may not have been needed if the Reds had decided to keep hold of Diaz over the summer.
According to reports from Indy Kaila, who wrote on Caught Offside on 27 November, Slot not only wanted to keep hold of the Colombian, who scored 13 league goals and provided five assists in Liverpool’s title-winning campaign, but he also wanted to offer the tricky winger a new contract at the club.
However, the £65.5million offer for the 28-year-old was too “appealing” for sporting director Hughes to turn down as he “overruled” Slot to sanction the “controversial” sale to Bayern Munich.
The report claims that Hughes “didn’t see the value” in offering Diaz a new contract, and considering a direct replacement for the Colombian was never signed in the summer, the decision to let him go looks like it has come back to bite Hughes.
Luis Diaz has been exceptional for Bayern Munich this season
To add further insult to injury, Diaz has been phenomenal since his move to Germany.
In 11 Bundesliga appearances so far for Bayern Munich, Diaz has scored six goals whilst laying on a further four assists.
His fine form has also transferred over into the Champions League, with the winger netting three goals in four appearances so far in the competition.
As Liverpool’s poor form continues to spiral out of control, with the recent 1-4 defeat to PSV further confirming that the club is currently in a crisis, Slot will surely look back on the fact that one of the key members of his squad was sold against his wishes.
