Arne Slot is under immense pressure just six months after delivering the Premier League title in his debut season at Liverpool, and if he does part ways, the Dutchman may have something to say about a transfer which occurred in the summer.
The Reds have made a nightmare start to Slot‘s sophomore campaign at Anfield, losing 10 of 20 matches across competitions. That includes two defeats at home on the bounce against Nottingham Forest (3-0) and PSV Eindhoven (4-1).
Big-money signings Alexander Isak(£125m) and Florian Wirtz (£116m) have failed to reach expectations and the club is in crisis mode heading into December. Many were convinced the defending champions had enjoyed the greatest transfer window in English football history but their form and results say otherwise.
Slot Left To Rue Hughes Transfer Decision
Slot was on cloud nine in May, but is in the firing line, and it seems there were disagreements between the manager and sporting director Richard Hughes in the summer. Indy Kaila, writing for CaughtOffside, has claimed that the Dutch coach wanted to keep Luis Diaz at the club.
It’s thought that Hughes “overruled” Slot on the sale of Diaz, who joined Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in a £65.5m deal. The 47-year-old “didn’t want” the Colombian winger to leave and was “pushing” for him to be given a new contract.
Slot publicly spoke of his admiration for the 28-year-old when he was linked with La Liga heavyweights Barcelona in May, and the Spanish club’s director, Deco, had confirmed the club’s interest. He responded:
“I understand he is a big admirer of Lucho Diaz – because I am a big admirer of him as well. He is a great player, having a great season.”
Diaz didn’t join Barca; instead, he moved to Bayern, where he has been vital to Vincent Kompany and has shown Liverpool what they are missing. He has appeared 18 times across competitions, scoring 11 goals and recording 5 assists.
The Colombian’s future was the subject of speculation heading into the summer amid his contract expiring in 2027. Hughes is believed not to have seen the value in offering him a new, lucrative deal and found the Bavarians’ transfer fee “appealing.”
Hughes’s Diaz Disaster Under Scrutiny
You’d rarely see Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson agree to move on star players unless circumstances beyond their control forced them to. They often stood firm in their decision to keep players at the club, even some who wanted out.
Diaz’s situation was one of interest due to his contract, which put Liverpool under pressure to agree on a new deal. But Guardiola and Ferguson’s dominance of the Premier League was in part due to sticking with their tried-and-tested troops.
Slot lost one of his most effective attackers when Diaz headed to Bayern, and he’s reminded the Merseysiders of that with inspired performances at the Allianz Arena. He is shining alongside Harry Kane and Michael Olise, and with six league goals to his name, it makes a mockery of Isak and Wirtz’s output.
If Hughes did decide to move the Colombia international on because of a reluctance to hand out a lucrative contract, there have to be questions asked of the director. Why part ways with a Premier League champion who has the experience to help Slot in a transitional period that a title victory had delayed?
Salah Also Missing Diaz?
Slot wasn’t the only one who seemed regretful upon Diaz’s departure. Mohamed Salah, who has been out of sorts, raged when fans celebrated the club’s transfer business by taking digs at their former left-winger and Darwin Nunez.
Salah replied to a Liverpool fan account by calling it disrespectful to suggest they were “upgrading”. He wrote on X:
“How about we celebrate the great signings without disrespecting the PL champions?”
Salah has endured a shocking nosedive this season after usually shining in a front three alongside Diaz. The 33-year-old’s own future is now uncertain despite penning a new two-year deal in April to end speculation over a possible summer exit.