Liverpool Sidelines Luis Diaz Amid Bayern Transfer Speculation

Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed that Luis Díaz was left out of the club’s pre-season friendly defeat against AC Milan due to ongoing transfer speculation surrounding his future. Díaz, who scored 13 goals and provided five assists in the Premier League last season, is reportedly a target for Bayern Munich, who have had a bid rejected, while Barcelona have been ruled out due to financial reasons. Despite Díaz training well, Liverpool have chosen not to play him amid these uncertainties, reflecting the club’s efforts to strengthen their squad by signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez, among others. Slot emphasized the need for continual improvement to remain competitive domestically and in Europe, acknowledging the challenge of defending their league title without reinforcing the team. AC Milan’s Massimiliano Allegri praised his team’s performance and Rafael Leao’s development after their 4-2 win, highlighting Milan's effective counter-attacks. Liverpool also face concerns over center-back depth with Ibrahima Konate entering the final year of his contract, though Slot expressed confidence in existing options like Ryan Gravenberch while leaving open the possibility of further reinforcements.