By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com
“Because the first day I arrived, I’ve all the time been pleased, calm, having fun with the soccer performed at this nice group,” Liverpool’s No. 7 instructed Colombian media after the 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
“We’ll be speaking about [a new contract], we’ll discuss it. For me, I’d keep nonetheless a few years it takes. It additionally will depend on the membership, every part; these are particulars which can be labored out individually.
“[I am] very calm, I’m pleased and having fun with the Premier League.”
Amid hypothesis over a summer season transfer to Barcelona or even perhaps the Saudi Professional League, Díaz‘s feedback modified the narrative and made clear the place his allegiances lie.
Nearing the top of his third full season at Anfield and the ultimate two years of his present deal, the Colombian seems to have discovered a house: and that has mirrored in a key function inside Arne Slot‘s assault.
Transformed from a left winger to a deep-dropping No. 9 – accommodating Cody Gakpo‘s swap again out huge and the poor type of each Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez – he has performed the second-most minutes of any attacker behind solely Mohamed Salah.
Salah and Alexis Mac Allister are the one gamers to make extra appearances in Slot’s first season at Liverpool and Salah is the one participant to have a hand in additional objectives.
With 17 objectives and eight assists in his 48 outings this time period to date, Díaz has recorded his second-best tally for aim contributions in a single marketing campaign – his finest coming with 22 objectives and 11 assists in a 54-game season bridging Porto and Liverpool in 2021/22.
Once more, Salah is the one Liverpool participant to create extra probabilities than Díaz within the Premier League, whereas the centre-forward is tied with Curtis Jones for the very best price of possession gained within the last third per 90.
Thrown into an unfamiliar function halfway by the marketing campaign, Díaz confirmed his flexibility and tactical consciousness to turn into a participant essential to Slot’s success.
There are, due to this fact, many causes to anticipate negotiations between a participant each keen to remain and important to the trigger to be extra easy than these of Salah, Virgil van Dijk and, failingly, Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Solely Liverpool produce other elements to contemplate in relation to Díaz, not least his long-term worth in a squad which can bear important modifications over the summer season.
Díaz remains to be tied to the contract he first signed when he made the £50 million transfer from Porto in January 2022, and although FotMob understands claims he’s incomes a low £55,000 per week are huge of the mark, he’s definitely not among the many membership’s highest earners.
There will likely be a motivation from the participant’s facet to agree phrases extra applicable for a participant of his significance; however for the membership there are different issues to contemplate.
Firstly, he turned 28 in January and, although a part of Slot’s strongest XI this season, there’s motive to imagine that would change after the summer season.
Liverpool are anticipated to push closely for a brand new centre-forward to exchange Núñez, with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško among the many names being thought of.
It stands to motive that any incoming No. 9 will likely be introduced in as a long-term first selection, due to this fact lessening the reliance on an out-of-position Díaz, who may then discover himself again in competitors with Gakpo – himself solely simply 26 – for a spot on the left wing.
And whereas Díaz ought to again himself to win the battle for a spot within the facet such is his elite-level skill, there are clearly no ensures he will likely be a number one participant for Slot’s evolving Liverpool.
That might make it tough for the membership to commit main wages to a participant neither assured of a beginning place nor with an affordable scope to turn into that place with years forward of him.
Although it generally results in unpopular choices, Liverpool are a membership run extra thoughtfully than a lot of their rivals, and there will likely be reservations amongst these on their board at risking a scenario akin to that seen at Manchester United.
It could possibly be argued that Díaz has missed the boat, then, in relation to touchdown that prime contract at Anfield – already in his peak years and, in contrast to Salah who negotiated a two-year extension on the age of 32, not fairly indispensable.
Nevertheless, that isn’t to say that Liverpool won’t really feel the identical method as Díaz about prolonging their affiliation, however there’s definitely trigger to imagine the scenario will not be as easy as his feedback would point out.
A lot may depend upon whether or not a profitable provide arrives from the Center East, however the best state of affairs could also be to carry off and revisit the scenario in a 12 months’s time, understanding Díaz will maintain his worth with 12 months remaining and may nonetheless play a key function subsequent season.
The identical may apply to Jota, a loyal participant and a lethal finisher when match, and elsewhere within the squad with Andy Robertson, Joe Gomez and Wataru Endo.
Liverpool will want these stalwarts to make sure consistency in a season the place they may defend the Premier League title with quite a lot of new faces of their ranks, however it must also be recognised that this a squad of champions in transition.
Díaz is probably in essentially the most tough place of the lot: a participant caught within the liminal area between considered one of Slot’s staples and one who may quickly discover his significance diminish as progress is made in constructing a new-look Liverpool.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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