Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has delivered a frank assessment of the club's decision to sell Luis Diaz, claiming they have failed to replace the Colombian winger despite receiving a significant fee from Bayern Munich.
The 'Good Deal' for Liverpool
Diaz ended a three-and-a-half year spell at Anfield in the summer, completing a £65.5 million move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. His departure came just two months after he celebrated winning the Premier League title with the club in front of the home crowd.
During his time on Merseyside, Diaz made 148 appearances, scoring 41 goals and helping Liverpool secure five major trophies. Despite this contribution, Carragher believes the sale made financial sense for the Reds.
'It was a good deal for Liverpool, I’ll argue that with anyone,' Carragher stated on The Overlap. 'He’s 28 and if we give him a new contract, we’ve got to put him on massive money. Liverpool got some good years out of him and got a good price.'
A Void Left Unfilled
However, Carragher was critical of Liverpool's failure to secure a direct replacement for Diaz, a factor he links to the team's 'wretched start' to the current campaign. Manager Arne Slot oversaw a record-breaking transfer window that brought in attackers Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Hugo Ekitike, but performances have largely disappointed.
'What they haven’t done is replaced him,' Carragher emphasised, contrasting Liverpool's struggles with Diaz's immediate impact in Germany. The forward has racked up seven goals and five assists in his first 12 Bundesliga games, adding three more in the Champions League.
Carragher tempered his praise for Diaz's Liverpool legacy, noting: 'Diaz was a very good player for Liverpool, he wasn’t a great. He wasn’t Roberto Firmino, he wasn’t Sadio Mane, he wasn’t Mohamed Salah. He was a good player.'
Hope Pinned on Record Signing Wirtz
The pundit expressed hope that Florian Wirtz, Liverpool's £116 million British record signing before Isak, can grow into a key figure, albeit in a different role. Carragher pointed to the German's impressive display in the recent 2-0 victory away at West Ham United as a benchmark.
'That was the first time I’ve watched Wirtz and thought he looked a level above everybody else on the pitch,' Carragher said. 'That’s what he should look like when you’re paying that type of money... I want that most weeks because he’s a superstar player.'
He added that Wirtz, while not a like-for-like swap, could be the creative force 'between the lines to the left' to help fill the void.
Backing for Slot Amid Speculation
Carragher also addressed the speculation surrounding Slot's future after a difficult first half of the season. He described the recent week—featuring games against West Ham, Sunderland, and Leeds—as crucial, suggesting poor results would have left the club in a difficult position.
However, he firmly dismissed rumours linking Steven Gerrard with a potential interim role. 'No, I wouldn’t imagine so,' Carragher said of the links to his former teammate. 'I don’t think most Liverpool fans will be screaming for Steven Gerrard. I think everyone is desperate for it to work for Slot.'
He reiterated the unusual position for Liverpool, stating: 'The idea of Liverpool changing a manager who has won the league… Liverpool have never changed a manager who has won the league.'
The victory at the London Stadium has provided some respite, but Carragher's analysis underscores the ongoing challenge Slot faces in reshaping Liverpool's attack after the sale of a key contributor.
