Liverpool has begun to prepare for next season by starting preseason training this week and on Sunday will face Preston North End in its opening friendly of the summer.
Amid the heartbreaking news about Diogo Jota, there is still plenty of healing to be done. But the work to ensure that the team is as ready as possible for the new campaign also has to continue.
Amid it all, one Liverpool player is continually being linked with a transfer away from Anfield: Luis Diaz. It is a curious case given the Reds don't want to lose him — and that stance is unlikely to be tested after Bayern Munich laid out its current stance.
According to BILD, Bayern Munich is very keen to sign Diaz from Liverpool— with the player supposedly open to the move — but would only be willing to pay $69 million (£51 million) for his services.
Having been rejected by Florian Wirtz and Nico Williams already this summer, among others, the Bundesliga champion is in need of an alternative. But it is not desperate enough, it seems, to be willing to put down a statement sum of money.
To put the supposed valuation of Diaz into context, Anthony Elanga is heading to Newcastle United for a fee of around $75 million (£55 million), and Spurs are set to purchase Mohammed Kudus for a similar fee. Meanwhile, Chelsea has already signed Joao Pedro for that sort of amount with an agreement that could reach $82 million (£60 million) including add-ons.
Luis Diaz and Arne Slot after Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Luis Diaz and Arne Slot after Liverpool 2-0 Real Madrid in the Champions League. (Image: Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Already this summer, both Bayern Munich and Barcelona have been told that Diaz is not for sale. And if that is the ceiling that the German outfit is prepared to go to for the Colombian, then that position is extremely unlikely to change.
In addition to Diaz being worth way in excess of that sort of sum in the current market, that the likes of Elanga and Pedro are moving for more than Bayern is willing to spend shows how tough it would be for Liverpool to sign a replacement — especially given the other work that needs doing.
Diaz performed well for Arne Slot last season, scoring 17 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions. He played as a number nine for much of the campaign, though he also impressed off the left flank. As a result, finding an upgrade will be costly.
"We’re there, negotiating," Diaz told the Colombian influencer Mauricio Gomez this week. "We’ll see what can be achieved, for us and for the club. We’ll try to do our best and make the best decision.
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"We’re in the process of negotiations, talking with the club, with Liverpool, with everyone who’s approaching us. But I’m very calm where I am, you know, very happy. Trying to make the best decision now."
Given Barcelona's economic situation, the Catalan side is unlikely to be able to push that hard for Diaz even if that move would be appealing. And at 28, it seems highly unlikely that the former FC Porto star would have any interest in moving to the Saudi Pro League right now.
If the limit of Bayern Munich's interest is short of $70M, then there seems to be an obvious answer when it comes to Diaz's future. If nothing else, Liverpool couldn't even replace him with five-goal Kudus or six-goal Elanga for that — leaving only one obvious outcome.