Luis Diaz has received the League Cup twice, the FA Cup and is now a Premier League champion. Nevertheless, regardless of taking part in a key function within the 2024/25 title success, his long-term Liverpool future continues to be up for debate.
The Diaz that kicked off the beginning of the season was the actual deal. This was a excessive octane, full-frontal, all-guns-blazing Diaz, the Colombian road footballer taking part in with wild abandon whereas holding an implicit recognition that he was higher than his every marker.
After a restorative summer time, and shedding the load of the world from his shoulders following the wild occasion of his father being taken hostage by a guerrilla group, Diaz regarded like a person renewed and reinvigorated.
Throughout the first three video games, Diaz had set down a white-hot marker and his brace within the early season assembly with Man United was the lighting of a torch, signifying that Liverpool below the brand new regime had been about to be a severe drive.
Deft touches, fast interchanges, considering 5 steps forward of everybody; Diaz’s link-up with Mo Salah and first-time hit to sink Erik ten Hag’s misplaced boys in their very own yard actually stirred the soul and received many people pondering whether or not this might be his main breakout marketing campaign.
Luis Diaz 2024/25
Began: 38 (All competitions)
On instead: 12
Targets: 17
Assists: 8
Total Season Score: 8.2
Was this Diaz’s main breakout marketing campaign?
Effectively, not precisely.
Let’s not get it unsuitable, Diaz was a pleasure to look at this season and important at varied junctures, however the man from Barrancas blew cold and warm when it comes to his game-winning capabilities.
Following the early worldwide break, during which he took his scorching kind to the worldwide stage, Diaz wanted a number of video games again within the purple shirt earlier than rediscovering his groove – and boy was it rediscovered.
When Bournemouth rocked up at Anfield in late September, dizzy from the serotonin hit of some robust early-season kind, a Diaz-led Liverpool slapped them firmly again right down to earth. Two targets in a 3-0 victory and one other man-of-the-match award for the mantlepiece, the fleet-footed firebrand stepped up.
It was a lot wanted reassurance; affirmation that Diaz may stand up and play the function of dependable talisman within the uncommon absence of Salah’s brilliance.
Slot appeared to have cracked it, with the Colombian lastly strapping on the boots of his predecessor Sadio Mane and profitable video games when others couldn’t.
However then an interlude, and a considerably recurring theme with Diaz.
A month would tick by earlier than his subsequent purpose involvement, albeit a significant help within the landmark 2-2 away draw in opposition to Arsenal, a end result which actually despatched the Reds on their approach to severe momentum.
The video games within the interim had been satisfactory, if not underwhelming for a participant of such seemingly limitless functionality. Diaz tailed off as Cody Gakpo started to surge, which is among the blessings of getting a stacked squad oozing with Champions League-level expertise.
However for these sitting tight for the ultimate breakthrough of Diaz as a bonafide, week-in week-out, constant world-beater, that wait continues.
Liverpool clever to contemplate their choices
Since his opportunistic signing in January 2022, Diaz has unquestionably developed right into a fearsome attacking outlet and brought to the Premier League like a duck to water.
His petrifying of top-flight fullbacks might be made right into a function size YouTube particular, although the velocity demon himself would admit that he will be usually nullified in matches, both bodily or tactically.
Liverpool’s £37 million acquisition of the then 25-year-old Diaz was a snip and, as former boss Jurgen Klopp admitted on the time, a product of a protracted interval of scouting and data-crunching.
The Reds knew Diaz had the instruments to be a roaring success. A glut of silverware later, together with the return of the Premier League title, has confirmed such.
But there nonetheless seems like an ‘if’, or a ‘what now’. It doesn’t assist that the dialogue across the participant’s future from each his private camp and the membership itself has set a wierd tone.
Diaz clearly loves being at Anfield and is a highly-valued squad member with a detailed knit group of confidants, comprising the South American unit of Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and Alisson.
However with the months on his present deal ticking down and his twenty ninth birthday due in January, it comes as little shock that the Reds are contemplating their choices relating to a giant cash sale.
Diaz has finished greater than sufficient in a purple shirt to show that, on his day and when he’s feeling it, there are few higher attacking wingers on the planet.
Will he drag your workforce over the road to victory each time Saturday rolls round? No.
Does his standing as a panoramic footballer, nonetheless very a lot in his prime, warrant a potential summer time switch splurge exceeding the £80 million mark? Most definitely.
And it’s why we now have an attention-grabbing few weeks and months forward. Barcelona are lengthy admirers of Diaz and Actual Madrid have courted his entourage on earlier events.
The newest hyperlink to emerge comes within the type of Bayern Munich, nonetheless smarting from having missed out on Florian Wirtz, whereas additionally observing the puzzling exit of Leroy Sane to Galatasaray on a free.
Diaz’s function subsequent season
Subsequent season, Slot will know that new marquee man Wirtz will command a central berth however can even love darting over to the left at each alternative. It’s what he does, and it’s the place he feels extremely snug and harmful.
With this in thoughts, and having a fired-up Gakpo nonetheless chomping on the bit for a beginning spot, Diaz could quickly really feel extra dispensable than many imagined.
In impact, it seems like a really win-win scenario for the Reds. Both a blockbuster, cannot-be-refused bid slides throughout the desk for his or her 28-year-old Colombian, or Diaz cracks on with one other marketing campaign, utilized in a extra interchangeable function with Gakpo and the thrilling Wirtz.
Fewer minutes within the legs, given the mileage he’ll as soon as once more be doing with the nationwide workforce, will be no unhealthy factor offering his health stays sharp.
What number of groups in world soccer have a weapon as devastating as Diaz to deliver on from the bench? You solely want one hand to depend.
Diaz hit the stratosphere final season, coincidentally in opposition to Wirtz and fellow new Crimson Jeremie Frimpong, when Bayer Leverkusen got here to Anfield and had been unceremoniously dissected. A 4-0 scoreline and Diaz’s first hat-trick, together with one more – you guessed it – man of the match gong.
Diaz was box-office, possessed, so artistically higher than his friends, however seven Liverpool video games would go thereafter, with one other worldwide break sandwiched in, earlier than one other purpose contribution was discovered.
Stepping up in instances of battle
The factor with Diaz, although, and one thing that makes him all of the extra outstanding and endearing, is his potential to essentially step up in instances of angst.
For all his indifference and spates of ghosting mid-season, the tip of the marketing campaign noticed the previous Porto man actually reply the decision for Slot.
Within the 3-1 victory over rock-bottom Southampton in early March – a match during which Slot selected to verbally lay into all the squad at half-time with the Reds trailing – Diaz led the resurgence instantly from the second half whistle, discovering an help and smashing the Saints black and blue to make sure three factors had been by no means unsure.
He was one of the best participant on the pitch, man of the match once more, taking part in with gritted enamel and the steely expression of a person who was not going to come back off second greatest and humiliated.
As pressure actually mounted within the title run-in, Diaz supplied the all essential help to make sure Everton had been crushed in a slender 1-0 win at Anfield, earlier than occurring to seek out the again of the web in opposition to Arsenal as Mikel Arteta’s pretenders afforded the Reds a guard of honour.
Massive video games, huge moments and arduous proof as to why Diaz is so universally adored on Merseyside. Cashing in on him this summer time could make a measure of painful sense, however it should completely be on Liverpool’s phrases if that’s the case.
Ought to stated bid not materialise, Liverpool will probably be graced by the good Barranquero for one more two seasons till his contract winds down.
If that is the tip, it’s been a pleasure, although it feels just like the cauldron of Diaz magic hasn’t fairly completed stirring, not simply but anyway.
Finest second: A brilliantly-taken hat-trick in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen, as he shone in a central function.
Worst second A disappointing efficiency within the League Cup remaining defeat to Newcastle, however he was removed from alone.
Position subsequent season He’ll probably start the season’s as Liverpool’s beginning left winger, but when a giant bid got here in from Barcelona, that might all change.
* Learn all our player-by-player season critiques right here
