Jamie Carragher rubbishes Luis Diaz Liverpool transfer theory - 'He wasn't great'

Luis Diaz

Jamie Carragher has defended Liverpool’s decision to sell Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich in the summer.

The Colombia international joined the Bavarian giants in a deal worth up to £65.5m and he has enjoyed an explosive start to life in Germany.

Diaz has returned 12 goals and six assists from his first 19 appearances for Munich.

He is also yet to taste defeat, failing to win only once, with Vincent Kompany’s side’s only loss of the season so far coming against Arsenal last week in a game the 28-year-old missed through suspension.

In contrast, Liverpool have struggled following Diaz’s departure and have lost nine of their last 13 matches in all competitions.

Arne Slot’s team at least returned to winning ways away at West Ham United at the weekend, bouncing back from successive heavy defeats to Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven as Alexander Isak scored his first premier League goal for the club.

But the Dutchman has faced scrutiny for the reigning Premier League champions’ poor form, with the pressure only heightened by a £450m summer spending spree which saw the Reds break the British transfer record twice.

The majority of Liverpool’s summer signings are yet to prove themselves at Anfield, though, with none of them enjoying the same impact as Diaz at Bayern.

But despite the contrasting fortunes, Carragher insists the Reds made the right decision in selling Diaz in the summer.

“That’s where I think the hierarchy of the club has said Arne Slot is [only] the head coach,”

“Arne Slot might’ve wanted to keep him.”

“But they [the Liverpool hierarchy] said he’s 28, if we give him a new contract he’ll be on massive money.”

“It was a good deal for Liverpool, and he’s going to look good in the Bundesliga because it’s not as good as the Premier League.

“Diaz was a very good player for Liverpool, but he wasn’t great – he wasn’t Firmino, he wasn’t Mane, he wasn’t Salah.

“He was a good player; Liverpool got some good years out of him and got a good price – it was a good deal for Liverpool.

“What they haven’t done is replace him, but if Wirtz becomes what we hope him to be, he’s a different player but he’s that player between the lines to the left, so you’ll get that from him.”

It is worth noting that Diaz wanted to leave Liverpool after failing to agree a new contract with the Reds, and had also looked to depart in the summer of 2024 only to be denied a move to Man City.

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