Liverpool should sell Luis Diaz this summer and replace him with one of two Premier League forwards who are younger and could offer the same level of output in the final third.
That is the view of former Reds striker Emile Heskey, who scored 60 times for Liverpool in 223 appearances. Barcelona and clubs in Saudi Arabia hold an interest in Diaz, but his current employer wants to keep him.
Diaz is under contract until 2027 with the Colombian on the same terms that he agreed when he signed from FC Porto in January 2022. He has netted 41 goals for Liverpool so far in 143 games for the Anfield side.
"I wouldn’t be shocked if Luis Diaz left the club this summer," Heskey told VBET. "He’s getting older, and if the money Barcelona or any other team is offering is good, I’d encourage Liverpool to take it.
"They could reinvest the money in someone younger than Diaz and get the exact same output from them. I think one of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle or Mohammed Kudus from West Ham would be a fantastic replacement for Diaz.
"They are both exciting players when dribbling with the ball and extremely creative, which is what they need.
Curtis Jones and Anthony Gordon of England arrive
Curtis Jones and Anthony Gordon (Image: Eric Alonso - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
"If Liverpool could get one of those done after selling him and one or two more, then that would only boost their chances of more silverware next season."
Liverpool was interested in Gordon last summer and a deal was agreed in principle with Newcastle United for the forward. He would have moved to Anfield, with Joe Gomez going the other way in a separate transaction.
However, while talks took place, nothing developed from there. Newcastle moved away from the deal when it sold Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson and no longer needed to generate funds for PSR purposes.
Gordon then signed a new contract in October and reiterated his commitment to the St James' Park outfit.
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Kudus, meanwhile, has sporadically been linked with a move to Liverpool. Arriving from Ajax for an initial fee of around $51 million (£38 million), though, the Ghana forward hasn't really excelled at the London Stadium.
Not turning 25 until August, Kudus scored five times in the Premier League last season. He has also been linked with a move to Spurs and Arsenal with West Ham open to cashing in.
Liverpool.com says: Gordon and Kudus are good but the only advantage they have over Diaz is their age. This summer, there is already a lot happening in the market for Liverpool, and this might be one thing too many amid so many moving parts.