Ideal Mané replacement?
Although Liverpool may not have won the Premier League or Champions League after coming so close in the dying days of the 2021/22 season, fans of the Anfield side still have plenty to celebrate as they look back on the last 10 months of football. Not only did they win two competitions in the FA Cup and English League Cup, but they also bagged a remarkable talent in Luis Díaz in the January transfer window. And the Colombian winger has gone from strength to strength ever since.
Indeed, in Transfermarkt’s new market value update for the Premier League, Díaz topped the list when it came to players with the biggest increase in value since March, with an impressive increase from €45 million to €65 million. That, naturally, points to a €20m increase in value over the course of the past four months. And when we look at the player’s form for Jürgen Klopp’s side since then, we can clearly see why.
Hit the ground running – How Díaz became a Liverpool star overnight
Over the course of the second half of the season, Díaz made 26 appearances for the Anfield side, racking up 1,691 minutes of football and bagging six goals and five assists along the way. Not only does that make for an impressive average of 0.59 goals or assists per 90 minutes, but many of those goal contributions came in huge moments, such as the two he bagged in the 4-0 win over Manchester United, his goal in the Merseyside derby against Everton, an all-important goal in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, as well as the goal and assist he managed in the 3-1 win over Benfica. A truly remarkable return for a player that was still adapting to a new club and country.
Eriksen, Díaz & Co. – The biggest winners of the Premier League update
Such has been Díaz’s start at Liverpool that the club now go into the summer transfer window far more confident of moving on stars that were once considered vital to Klopp and his team’s success. For example, Sadio Mané now looks set to depart for Bayern Munich and Mohamed Salah seems certain to leave next summer, if not sooner. But with Díaz on the left wing, Liverpool now look well positioned to transition towards a new front line of the Colombia international, Diogo Jota and incoming striker Darwin Núñez.
What should excite Liverpool fans the most is the sheer speed with which Díaz has taken to his new club and the manner in which his value has increased in recent years due to his explosive performances for Porto and now Liverpool. Just two years ago the player was worth just €15m but since then he has gone from strength to strength to become one of English football’s biggest stars. And by all measures it seems as though the Colombian forward is only just getting started.
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