Paul Merson: Luis Diaz will find it harder to play for Liverpool next season
Premier League legend Paul Merson doesn’t believe Luis Diaz will have the same impact for Liverpool next season as he did in the previous campaign.
The Colombian signed for the Reds in the recent winter transfer window from FC Porto. The 25-year-old has been electric since arriving on Merseyside. Diaz has brought flair to the left-hand side of the attack.
Merson, who played as a forward for Arsenal, feels opposition players and managers now know more about the Colombian. Making his thoughts known on Sportskeeda (h/t Liverpool Echo), the former Gunner thinks competing sides will make plans to nullify the 25-year-old’s impact in the game.
“Unlike last season, Luis Diaz is on the radar this time around. When he first joined, team talks from opposition managers wouldn’t have really been about him, but now he’s quickly made the left wing his own and will find it harder to make an impact this season.”
Liverpool jumped at the chance of signing Diaz in January, and rightfully so. The Colombian doesn’t look out of place at all in English football. On the contrary, he has fit right into the intensity of the league.
Usually, new signings have a hard time adapting to the PL. England’s first tier is much more competitive and physical than other top five leagues. It becomes challenging for foreign players to adapt to the English weather as well.
But thankfully, that hasn’t been the case for Diaz. The Colombian has dazzled the PL with his feet and skills. The 25-year-old featured in 26 games for the side in the previous campaign, scoring six goals and providing five assists.
Jurgen Klopp already had some quality on his hands last season before the singing of Diaz. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were their usual selves, scoring goals for the Reds.
But the two superstars were on international duty and were involved in the Africa Cup of Nations. Roberto Firmino also had injury issues during the previous campaign.
More Liverpool News
- Liverpool to start negotiations for Sporting CP midfielder Matheus Nunes
- Naby Keita aiming to step up his game for Liverpool next season
- Liverpool duo Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Diogo Jota set to miss out on Austria training camp
The decision to sign Diaz was a wise one and paid off. With the quality he’s shown, fans will feel there’s no reason to expect the 25-year-old to slow down. Hopefully, he continues in this fine vein.
