Liverpool must seal deal for “mind-blowing” £49m Diaz upgrade

There’s no pressing need to sell at Liverpool this summer, but with Arne Slot now formally anointed as Anfield’s head coach, several cogs are going to be shifted and certain players may well be deemed expendable.

Darwin Nunez, ever adored, much-maligned, has now completed two seasons for the Reds following his transfer from Benfica – for a fee that could rise to a club record £85m – but only has 20 goals from 65 Premier League matches, missing not so much a catalogue of big chances as a sprawling volume.

Reports earlier in June suggested that Liverpool would listen to offers for the Uruguayan, but he’s not the only one, with Luis Diaz still on Barcelona’s radar, as per The Athletic.

Diaz was one of Liverpool’s standout performers last season but is 27 years old and has ebbed from form in phases and if Liverpool’s €75m (£63m) valuation is met, it’s likely he would be allowed to leave.

A high-level replacement, of course, would need to be welcomed to the fold.

Liverpool transfer news

According to HITC, Liverpool have joined Arsenal in the race for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who has his sights set on a transfer to Barcelona but may find that dream hit a wall given La Blaugrana’s financial struggles.

With that in mind, Liverpool might need to lower their price tag for Diaz somewhat to complete this rotation of moves, though Paris Saint-Germain, who have just lost Kylian Mbappe, are also interested in the Colombian.

Williams has a €58m (£49m) release clause in his contract and given his impressive displays at Euro 2024 so far, Liverpool might want to push for his signing as quickly as possible.

Nico Williams’ Euro 2024 performances

Williams is only 21 but he’s made a big impression in La Liga and produced a masterful display of dribbling and playmaking against Italy on Thursday evening, awarded the UEFA Player of the Match award after the 1-0 victory.

The pacy winger had also started against Croatia in his nation’s opening victory, and while he didn’t have the same resounding effect that time, his winding runs and ability to stretch the opposing defence highlighted the distinctive qualities that make him such an impressive outlet, succeeding with two of four dribbles and making one key pass.

The fixed fee in his £172k-per-week contract does strip a layer of complexity away from any negotiations but it will also leave rival suitors like Arsenal and Barcelona in similarly attractive positions, but with such excellent displays on the international stage and a fleet-footed, dynamic approach, he could be the perfect player to kickstart Slot’s tenure.

In Luis de la Fuente’s squad on merit, Williams enjoyed a highly effective playmaking campaign in Basque Country, scoring five goals and supplying 11 assists from 29 La Liga starts as well as notching eight goal contributions from five matches as Bilbao won the Copa del Rey.

He’s an excellent winger with a range of skills that would make him a real asset for Liverpool. If Diaz is to be sold this summer, there is no available positional peer better placed to succeed in his stead.

Why Liverpool are interested in Nico Williams

Wingers. What are they? Are those creative, man-beating speedsters ebbing away from the modern game? The archetypal winger of old replaced by the ball-retaining, machine-like cogs in the intricate systems of the modern game.

Perhaps not. Football has evolved over the past few decades but winger remain ever important, especially so for the Reds boss. Slot, now at work at Kirkby as he looks to build from the bricks of Jurgen Klopp’s illustrious legacy, plays a system reliant on the pace and dynamism of wide forwards.

Williams, in this regard, would be the perfect addition to a team in transition. The Spaniard offers many of the qualities that Diaz boasts but is younger, unceasing in his snap-speed movements.

When collating the respective metrics between Diaz and Williams throughout the 2023/24 campaign, a few interesting points can be drawn.

Firstly, Diaz is a more prolific goalscorer but this is only because he strikes on goal with greater regularity. In actual fact, the Colombia international underperforms his expected goal tally by 0.07, whereas Williams underperformed by just 0.04, having taken far less shots across the year.

This might feel marginal but it illustrates how Williams, still so young, can improve over the coming years and eventually eclipse Diaz in striking ability and accuracy.

Secondly, the Spanish star is far more effective in his dribbling, boasting a superior output and proving to be altogether more energetic and athletic. His electric pace blends with consistent surging movements that have been an integral part in his assist-making success (Williams ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers for assists per 90; Diaz, in comparison, among only the bottom 43%).

Lest we forget, the 5 foot 11 whiz is six years younger than Liverpool’s left-sided forward. He’d bring so much energy and exuberance to the team. Hailed as a “mind-blowing” talent by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Slot needs to get this one done with haste.