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Diaz Bayern bound! Isak incoming?
19 Plays9 days ago
The Reds' transfer window rattles along at break-neck speed with news on Luis Diaz and Alexander Isak.
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Transcript
Luis Diaz Transfers to Bayern Munich
00:00:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Liverpool podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm your host, Jesse Sawa. Lots to talk about as the Reds continue to dominate the transfer window in much the same way.
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
as they dominated the Premier League last season. The latest news is is ah is really on ah on an outgoing this time, and that is that Luis Diaz has left Liverpool's training camp, pre-season training camp, ahead of that proposed move to Bayern Munich.
00:01:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
It looks like the clubs have agreed a deal of £65 million or in that region £65 million. And he is expected in Munich today to take his medical and then put pen to paper on a four-year deal.
Luis Diaz's Legacy at Liverpool
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, Luis Diaz, I think, is this a good deal for Liverpool? I think in terms of the money, I think you'd have to say that that's i think that's a pretty decent fee for Luis Diaz.
00:02:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's been fantastic for Liverpool. I think he's a fan favourite and you don't become a fan favourite at Liverpool unless you have performed, unless you've worked really hard, unless you've absolutely given it your all. And you've given us moments.
00:02:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've given us you know big, big moments. And I think that Luis Diaz, he is he i think he's is a fairly unique talent.
00:02:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's one of the, I think he's certainly the best dribbler in the Premier League. and And the reason I say that is that, look, there's lots of great dribblers, people can who can you know play really well with the ball. But I think...
00:02:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Diaz's ability to dribble with the ball at real pace and keep that ball under control and keep threatening the opposition.
00:02:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's the best at that. remember a couple of seasons ago, he absolutely, absolutely tore Karl Walker to shreds back when Karl Walker had not lost his pace.
00:03:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
and completely left him for dead and completely left a couple of other Man City defenders for debt for dead. And he's done that consistently. And he's been very versatile. He's obviously played, operated out on that left flank. But term in recent times, he's played straight down the middle as our number nine. And again, I think he's performed well. He's scored goals for us.
00:03:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the other thing about Luis Diaz that he works incredibly hard. i I cannot think of anyone the modern game, and in terms of a top forward who works harder than Luis Diaz.
00:03:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
He absolutely runs to himself into the ground every single game. And you cannot but miss that. I think you know when he does leave, Gakpo does his tracking back, he works hard.
00:04:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I don't think he's got the energy levels at this moment in time, certainly, that Luis Diaz has has shown consistently season season after season, even when he's having yeah not his most effective of games.
00:04:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's one of those players that will impact the game just by virtue of his work rate. So, you know, he will not leave his left back to be exposed. He's he's always there. So,
00:04:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do think that it's, I think on a footballing level, I think that we will miss
Liverpool's Contract Strategy
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
him. And I think i think on an emotional level, I think that this will be something that the fan base will not be, i think we'll we'll miss Luis Diaz and we'll be sorry to see him go.
00:04:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
But at the same time, i think because of that emotional connection with Luis Diaz, because we you know we we do have a lot of affection for for him, I think we understand why he wants a a big payday.
00:05:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is effectively going to be his last big contract. And I think this is where Liverpool's thinking, Richard Hughes, comes into play as well. He's 28.
00:05:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
he's twenty eight He's going to be 29 in January. And so Liverpool were... left with a decision that do we give, so ah ah do we give a 29 year old a new bumper contract?
00:05:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And unless you're Mohamed Salah or unless you're Virgil van Dijk, which are two of the best players in the world, two the best players who've ever played, you know, full stop in their respective positions.
00:05:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
then I think that it's very difficult for the club to to go down that road and to start handing out yeah lucrative long-term contracts to players that are approaching 30. That's just not how the club have operated Under FSG. And look, you know what, we're seeing the fruits of that now, you know, for for all those who used to, to you know, to shout FSG out.
00:06:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that they are well within their rights to turn around and say, look.
00:06:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're only in this position now where we can go after Florian Virts for a British transfer record and still go after Alexander Isaac and still go after other players because we've, you know, we've lived within our
Financial Management by FSG
00:06:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
means. We've we've only spent what we earn and what we generate.
00:06:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, we're we're not other clubs. We're not but we're not owned by nation states that can just, you know spend as they want and and just ride roughshod over the rules.
00:07:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, Liverpool will have done it the right way. We've put ourselves in in an excellent position, and both financially and now on on the field.
00:07:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so, you know, were we are in this position now because of the you know the the sensible approach, the prudence that the club have shown over the years. Sometimes you know you know we've all criticised them, even even those who are not necessarily those kind of vocal FSG out supporters, where you know we think that maybe they could have done a little bit more.
00:07:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I do understand the club's position here in terms of letting Luis Diaz go. And I understand Luis Diaz's position that he's been on the same deal that he signed.
00:07:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
so He's been on the same deal yeah as as as when he signed from, I think was Porto. And I think he's on about £55,000 a week, which, look, £55,000 a week is is a good salary for most of us.
00:08:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think for ah for for an elite footballer at an elite club in the Premier League, I think yeah i think you'd be hard-pressed to find any forward at a top club, at Liverpool, at Manchester City, at Arsenal, that's on £55,000 week.
00:08:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
and so i understand his his desire to make that one last uh payday you know a footballer's career is know is relatively short and so you know you've got to make hay while the sun shines and so I understand it from Diaz's position, but I just think that we we will miss him and we're we're sad to see him go.
00:08:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And I'm ah ah only sad that so he didn't get the send off at the end of the season though term you know that he he thoroughly deserves. but But whenever he does come back to Anfield, you know probably in the Champions League, he'll get a massive reception from the Liverpool fans.
00:09:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
because he he he'll thoroughly deserve it. He's been an absolutely fantastic player for us, a great servant. ah ah He's never let us down and he's never, ever given anything less than 100% every time he's put on a Liverpool shirt. So that looks like a deal that is going to be done.
00:09:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we're just waiting for the official confirmation from from both clubs that Diaz is gone.
Alexander Isak Transfer Rumors to Liverpool
00:09:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're going to come back and talk about couple of other rumours right after this break.
00:10:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. So this summer transfer window, which has been a a quite incredible one for Liverpool, if you're a Liverpool supporter, it's just not something that we are used to.
00:10:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
were We're just not used to this level of activity. know, these kind of transfer fees. and it's So it's a new experience for liver Liverpool supporters as well. And just when we think that it can't get any better, it can't get any bigger than the signings that we've already made, it just looks like the that the chatter around...
00:10:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alexander Izak will just it just won't go away and it's getting louder and louder. And if you if if you take what most of the kind of respected journalists around are saying, that is that Alexander Izak has got his heart set on a move to Liverpool and only Liverpool.
00:11:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's rejected ah potential moves to Saudi Arabia, which I think would have. I think that's something that Newcastle would have preferred, given their links to Saudi ownership and given the fact that they wouldn't be giving their prized asset to another team in the Premier League. I can't say a Premier League rival. They're not a rival in terms of.
00:11:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
the stature of the club or, you know, winning prizes, the major prizes like the Premier League or the Champions League. But I think it would have been ah preferable outcome for Newcastle if Izak went to Saudi Arabia.
00:12:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
But thankfully, he's shown he's shown the kind of ambition that so you know that you want to see if if if a player like this is linked with your club.
00:12:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that is he wants to stay in the Premier League and he wants to come to Liverpool because he thinks that Liverpool gives him the best chance to fight for all of the biggest prizes world.
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
available bo both domestically and in Europe. So it looks like Liverpool are preparing what is being reported as another British record bid for the Newcastle striker.
Liverpool's Transfer Strategy Shift
00:12:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that is going to be in the region of £120 to £130 million. pounds again is just an incredible um ah from the club.
00:12:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And talk about backing the manager. You know, there was so much talk last season that they haven't shown faith in Arnie Slott or they haven't backed the manager.
00:13:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they're asking the manager just to pick up the yeah the previous manager's team and squad and to run with that. And boy, did he run with that.
00:13:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so this season, I think think all of the you know the the health of the club is such that FSG, the ownership, clearly has just said to Arnie Slott that, look, we we are going to back you in the transfer market and we're going to back you big.
00:13:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's great to see. And I think that I think that Liverpool fans, I don't think we should get used to this, incidentally. I don't think that this is a a kind of new model now.
00:13:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that we're in a particular position where we haven't spent over the last at least two windows. We've been very, very conservative in the way that we've entered the transfer market previously.
00:14:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I just think that the health of the club is such now is that we can loosen those purse strings a bit. But I think that what you'll see now is once this summer transfer window is over, I think you'll see a bit more stability now in the ranks and just, you know one player in or one player out, an addition here or there. But none of this kind of major overhaul we've seen this summer.
00:14:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if Izak is to come in, it's it's going to be interesting how this Liverpool team and squad ends up looking like. Because, look, on the surface, we've had a fantastic transfer window and and nobody can complain or or say otherwise.
00:15:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if you look at the the current line-up at the moment... We've got Mohamed Salah. We've got Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunes, Federico Chiesa.
00:15:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've now added Hugo Eketike. That is five strikers, five attackers, which you'd ideally want six, but yeah five is OK.
00:15:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, Nunes and Chiesa, their futures are in doubt. So that then puts you down to three.
00:15:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And even if you do add Alexander Isaac into that mix, Is four enough? You know, are four attackers in the modern game when you're fighting on four fronts, you're fighting on, you know, the Premier League, League Cup, FA Cup, and then more importantly, the Champions League?
00:16:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Are four attackers enough or... Is it that Florian Verts fills a more advanced role to make that a fifth attacker?
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is Arnie Slott thinking of changing the formation around to accommodate there being kind of less options up front? So i think these are interesting questions to see how Liverpool kind of manage this rest of this transfer window and how we line up throughout the season.
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
the other really, I think the big question mark really is what other business is left to be done? We've we've you we've on the attack and the fallback areas, which we we had to with the departure of Trent Alexander on order right back.
00:16:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Frimpon coming in, Kirkhead's coming in at left back. We've got three left backs now. So I would expect one of those, one of Simicas or Robertson to move on. And I've said this before.
Centre-Back Shortage Concerns at Liverpool
00:17:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do hope that that Simicas and not Robertson. i I think there's much more benefit for Liverpool and for Kirkes to have Robertson... stick around, even if it's only for the one season that remains on his contract, you know, to stick around and really just to kind of mentor Kirchis for this season.
00:17:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And hit just having his experience there, I think is really, really important for the club and for the team. But I do expect one of those players to leave. It does also mean that with the departure of Gerald Kwanzaa, that we're down to three centre-backs.
00:17:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahim Kanate and Joe Gomez. And Joe Gomez has left the Liverpool pre-season camp with a slight injury.
00:17:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've been told that it's not a serious injury, but it's an injury. It's an injury that means that we're down to two centre-backs. And we just know from previous experience that Joe Gomez, love him as I do, and I think he's a great utility player to have in the squad. He can you can fill in and in any of those defensive positions. and And I think it's really useful to have a player like that.
00:18:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think to hang your hat on someone like Joe Gomez in one of those centre-back positions, I think is he ah is a big risk. Even Ibrahim Kanate.
00:18:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Last season, I think, was his best season in terms of injuries. But he did have one injury that that I think he was out for six weeks. And I'm kind of forgiving that because it it was an impact injury. It wasn't one of the kind of muscular injuries where you can say, OK, he's injury prone.
00:18:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
It wasn't one of those. But I just think it just it shows how quickly these things can happen, how suddenly these things can happen. And I think just at this level, I think if you're if you start the season at with three centre-backs, I think you're already at bare bones.
00:19:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think you're you're really, really risking... derailing that whole season and and that would be such a huge shame given the optimism with the signings that we've made in other areas of the team and we've been in this position before a few seasons ago I think it was the 2020 season we went into that season with three centre-backs with Van Dijk with Joe Gomez and with Joel Matip and
00:19:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
And all three of them got injured. And we ended up having the likes of Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum playing at centre-back. And we only just managed to scrape a Champions League position in that season. So...
00:19:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's a real big question mark as to whether we are going to move for Mark Gay or another centre-back before the close of the transfer window. mean, it's difficult to imagine that Richard Hughes and Arnie Slott are not aware of that.
00:20:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Slott has mentioned during this preseason in one of the press conferences that using Ryan Gravenberg or Endo as makeshift centre-backs is something that Liverpool can do.
00:20:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, I'm not sure if that's just kind of manager speak, you know, keeping his cards close to his chest, as opposed to, you know, declaring to everyone that, yeah, look, you know, we are out in the market for a centre back.
00:20:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
But i'd I'd be surprised if that would be Arnie Slott's preferred solution to have three centre backs, One with a very, very shaky injury record and then two midfielders to to cover.
00:21:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I really don't think that that would be Arnie Slott's preferred option. So... I think that's another really interesting interesting thing to see how Liverpool negotiate that issue, whether we are going to go with what we've got, maybe get someone in from the academy or, you know, just kind of...
00:21:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
shift players around, you know, maybe you have Andy Robertson coming in with his experience. I just don't think that that will work at the at the very highest level. I think you can get away with it in certain competitions like the League Cup or maybe some of the early rounds of the FA Cup. But I think once you get...
00:21:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
into the into the Champions League once you're and running in the Premier League season. I mean, every single game in the Premier League is just so incredibly tough. The standard in Premier League is so high.
00:21:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Teams are ah ah just so competitive that I think it would be a ah ah major gamble for Liverpool to go into this season with the three centre-backs that we have.
00:22:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
we'll see how that develops. That is all for today. We'll be back in the coming days to to update you all on the ongoing transfer activities that the the club is involved in, which just doesn't look like stopping. And you know, we'll be slowly gearing ourselves up for the preseason games and then the community shield.
00:22:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then we are back into the thick of the Premier League season, which, fingers crossed, is going to be another memorable season, you know, the way that things are shaping up at the moment.
00:22:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But thank you for listening and stay tuned. We'll be back very shortly.