Pep Guardiola reportedly blocked a swap deal for Luis Diaz in the summer of 2024 that would have seen Julian Alvarez head to Anfield in the summer of 2024.
Manchester City will take on fierce rivals Manchester United on Sunday in the Premier League, and a defeat on the weekend would be the club's third in four league matches.
The Citizens' performances in the final third have been concerning, with the team's average of 3.7 shots per game only the ninth best figure of the 20 sides in the top flight.
Some fans have questioned City's recent additions in the forward line, especially in light of the exit of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid in 2024.
However, The Telegraph claims that then Liverpool forward Luis Diaz - now of Bayern Munich - could have replaced Alvarez, but Guardiola had no interest in allowing the forward to join a close rival.
Liverpool's Luis Diaz celebrates scoring on April 27, 2025
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There is an argument that signing Diaz would have been unwise considering the Colombian was 27 in the summer of 2024, and Alvarez would have added considerably to Liverpool's squad.
However, City have struggled in wide areas for some time, especially following the exits of Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Riyhad Mahrez over the past years.
The likes of Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden and Savinho scored just 11 Premier League goals in 86 games last term, whereas striker Erling Haaland netted 22 times.
Winger Diaz plays with far more intensity than the previously mentioned trio, and considering he scored 13 times in the league in 2024-25, his addition would have helped reduce the reliance on Haaland.
Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez on September 19, 2024
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City have added stars such as Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki to their squad this year, while academy product Oscar Bobb is expected to play a significant role.
It is important to highlight that Marmoush has so far not been trusted to start in a central position, and he has been forced to operate in less favourable areas on the left.
Cherki has also started just once this season, and Guardiola has not found a spot for him in his first XI, with some fans critical of his work without the ball.
The City boss must find ways of getting the best out of his new signings if he is to improve upon last season's third-placed finish as he will otherwise be forced to utilise the same forwards that disappointed in 2024-25.
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