'We don't sell to rivals' - Liverpool's shock Man City swap deal last summer rejected, star wanted to leave Anfieldplaceholder image
'We don't sell to rivals' - Liverpool's shock Man City swap deal last summer rejected, star wanted to leave Anfield | Getty Images
Liverpool offered a swap deal to Manchester City 12 months ago but their Premier League rivals were not interested in doing business
Liverpool had the biggest-spending transfer window in their history over the summer with the Reds making two club-record signings over the course of the window.
Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to £116m before they agreed a £125m move with Newcastle United for striker Alexander Isak.
Hugo Ekitike also arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt for around £70m while Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Giovanni Leoni joined from Bayer Leverkusen, Bournemouth and Parma, respectively.
Armin Pecsi arrived from Puskas Akademia in what was a club-record sale for the Hungarian club with Freddie Woodman also joining to help bolster their goalkeeping department at the club.
The Reds did sanction a number of sales in order to help balance the books but their spending still pushed over £400m in an unprecedented window for the club. It is a far cry from the 2024 summer transfer window when they signed Federico Chiesa for £10m and agreed a £29m deal with Valencia for Giorgi Mamardashvili - who officially joined the Reds this summer.
Liverpool summer 2024 window could have looked very different
Part of Liverpool’s ability to spend so much in one window was down to their lack of spending in January 2024, summer 2024 and January 2025.
That is according to a detailed report from The Telegraph, but the article has also revealed how the Reds offered Premier League rivals Manchester City a shock swap deal in the summer of 2024.
It claims that winger Luis Diaz wanted to go to City and the Reds’ recruitment team proposed a swap deal that would see Julian Alvarez move to Anfield.
City’s response was “we don’t sell to rivals” with Liverpool then retorting “neither do we”, as Diaz remained on Merseyside but was said to be “disappointed” before putting it behind him to help the club win the Premier League. Alvarez would join Atletico Madrid but his links to Liverpool persisted until deals were done for Ekitike and Isak this summer.
Diaz himself joined Bayern Munich for around £65m this summer.
Luis Diaz on Bayern Munich move
Speaking on his Anfield exit last month, Diaz said: “I dreamed of coming here to achieve great things and give my best. I try to enjoy football.
“It was a big gamble and I'm very grateful to the management for reaching out to me and trusting me.
“It's always up to me to respond on the pitch and contribute with what I know how to do. To be at the disposal of the coaching staff. To start this way and be together with my team-mates is incredible.
“I already had some knowledge of the Bundesliga. I love watching football and all the competitions. I had the opportunity to talk to Florian in Liverpool, and I know it's a physical league.”
Diaz spent three and a half years at Anfield but with just two years remaining on his contract and with the player keen to leave, the Reds opted to cash in. They have Rio Nguomha coming through on the left wing while Cody Gakpo is effective off the left. Ekitike can also play in the position.
Continue Reading