FSG plan bid for £42m star who wants to join Liverpool

Last month, Liverpool officially confirmed that Mohamed Salah had put pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension with the club to extend his stay at Anfield.

The Egypt international’s deal was due to expire this summer, making him a free agent, but he has decided to commit to the Reds until the summer of 2027.

Salah has scored 33 goals and provided 23 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool so far this season, which illustrates how big of a boost this news was to Arne Slot.

The forward told the club’s official website: “Of course I’m very excited. We have a great team now. Before also we had a great team. But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football.”

The news of his new contract at Anfield also means that the right-wing position has been locked down for next season, as Salah’s form suggests that he will be the first-choice in that role for Slot for another two years.

Who plays on the left side of the front three on a regular basis in the 2025/26 campaign remains up for debate, though, as does the future of Luis Diaz.

Why Luis Diaz could move on from Liverpool

Earlier this week, CaughtOffside reported that Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal are eyeing up both Diaz and Darwin Nunez for moves in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The outlet claimed that Slot would rather keep hold of the former Porto star, but that the club would be prepared to cash in on him if an offer of £67m comes in for his services.

It revealed that Al Hilal are ready to pay big to land the winger, who has also been of interest to Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, this summer, which means that his future at Anfield is currently up in the air.

As you can see in the table above, Diaz’s output has improved in the Premier League in comparison to last term, after he struggled in front of goal in the 2023/24 campaign.

Liverpool, however, may also see this as inconsistency from a 28-year-old forward who should be in the prime years of his career, and may wonder if it is sustainable or if his finishing will revert to type next year.

Therefore, the club could decide that now is the right time to cash in on him for £67m, amid interest from Saudi Arabia, whilst his value is high off the back of a strong season.

Liverpool would need to have a top-quality left-wing option to replace him, though, and their interest in a Ligue 1 star could be the end of Luis Diaz.

Liverpool eyeing move for Ligue 1 star

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Lyon forward Malick Fofana in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Reds and fellow Premier League side Arsenal are the two main suitors for the Belgium international, as they look to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

It reveals that Liverpool are planning a swoop to sign the 20-year-old starlet, as they look to take advantage of Lyon’s ‘financial problems’, whilst the likes of PSG, Juventus, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United are also said to be eyeing him up.

CaughtOffside adds that the Reds are serious about a move for the Ligue 1 sensation, who is valued at roughly £42m by the French outfit, and that they are looking at him amid doubts over the future of Diaz and Diogo Jota.

With this in mind, FSG swooping to sign Fofana from Lyon in the summer transfer window could spell the end of Luis Diaz’s career at Anfield.

Why Malick Fofana could be the end of Luis Diaz

If the Reds complete a deal to sign the 20-year-old star from Lyon this summer, the club could be even more open to cashing in on the Colombian forward amid strong interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Having turned 20 at the end of March, Fofana is a young player with plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, which would make him a long-term addition for the club. He is eight years younger than Diaz and could, therefore, provide more to the team over the next five or six years, or more.

Last month, talent scout Jacek Kulig claimed that the forward has “enormous potential” and a “big future ahead”, and that is backed up by his impressive performances for Lyon at such a young age this season.

Despite being a teenager for the majority of the 2024/25 campaign, Fofana has featured regularly in both Ligue 1 and the Europa League, and chipped in with more than ten goals across both competitions.

As you can see in the table above, the £42m-rated star has scored 11 goals and provided five assists, and outperformed his xG by roughly five goals.

Fofana also ranks within the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Men’s Big 5 Leagues and European competitions for progressive carries per 90 (6.69) over the last 365 days, which illustrates how effective he is at getting his team up the pitch through dribbles.

Diaz, meanwhile, ranks in the top 32% with 4.17 progressive carries per 90 in that time, which suggests that the Lyon star could immediately provide more to the team as an outlet to get the ball up the pitch and into dangerous positions.

Fofana’s finishing this season, outperforming his xG by more than five goals, also suggests that the potential is there for him to provide a similar goal threat if Liverpool’s other forwards can get him into high-quality positions on a regular basis.

Therefore, Liverpool signing the Lyon star could be the end of Diaz at Anfield because he is an incredibly talented player, who plays in the same position, and the club could bring him in as the long-term option on the left flank, leaving the door open for a move to Al Hilal for the Colombian star.