Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol. Picture: ESPN/ Youtubeplaceholder image
Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol. Picture: ESPN/ Youtube | Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol. Picture: ESPN/ Youtube
The former Liverpool defender has shared his view on the sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich.
Former Liverpool full-back Steve Nicol has jumped to the defence of the club’s hierarchy over the sale of Luis Diaz.
The Reds opted to part ways with the winger after winning the Premier League title last season. Diaz was a key player on the way to claiming the English championship, recording 17 goals and eight assists in all competitions.
The Colombia international left for Bayern Munich for a fee of £65 million, having been offered new terms at Anfield. Diaz has been magnificent for the Bundesliga champions-elect this campaign, scoring 20 times and creating a further 17.
Liverpool did not directly replace Diaz amid a significant squad overhaul, with fellow attackers Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott also departing. The Reds instead brought in attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz along with strike duo Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike.
Arne Slot’s side have dropped off markedly this season as they sit just fifth in the table, with wide men Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo having their struggles. Some fans believe that Diaz should not have been sold - but Nicol reckons that sporting director Richard Hughes was right to sanction the exit.
Speaking on ESPN, the 1984 European Cup winner said: “I think you’re spending the money on Isak. You’re spending the money on Wirtz. You have Gakpo, and you’re getting offered what? Nearly 70 million for a guy who’s 29 years old.
“I mean hindsight’s dead easy isn’t it. I’m thinking now, Diaz doing what he’s doing not just for Liverpool last year but what he’s doing for Bayern, but at the time it seemed like a very sensible and great business deal to get 70 million for a 29-year-old when you already have Gakpo, and then you bring in Wirtz and Isak.
“So now there weren’t too many people complaining, let me put it that way. All the so-called experts, nobody said Liverpool are crazy, Liverpool are mad. Why are they doing this? Nobody said that at all.”
Liverpool head coach Slot admitted that his team have missed Diaz but the void would not be felt so badly has Isak - signed for a £125 million British record - stayed fit. Isak is currently recovering from a broken leg, while he arrived from Newcastle United well short of match sharpness.
“You always miss good football players,” Slot said. “He was so important for us last season, but he wasn’t the only one. There were more players that were influential in our results, but I think we have replaced them with very good players as well.
“It is maybe more fair to say that if Alex had been fit, would we have spoken about it then as well? Diaz is another example of how this club is run. “If this club gets for a 28-year-old an offer like that then this club, because it is built on sustainability, chooses to sell a player and we are an exception in the Premier League, especially at the top of the Premier League, for that.
“But that is why it is also so nice that we are able to achieve the things we have achieved in the last few years with that model. But he is doing very well at Bayern and that is not a surprise to me.”
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