Ahead of the PL clash vs Tottenham Hotspur, Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool were desperate to sign Luis Diaz
Jurgen Klopp, in his latest pre-match conference ahead of the Premier League tie against Tottenham Hotspur, admitted that Liverpool were ‘desperate’ to sign Luis Diaz.
The deal came to fruition in the January transfer window when the Reds parted ways with £37.5million in initial fees for the Colombian star. Since then, Diaz has been a revelation and has quickly adjusted to Liverpool’s style of football.
That is why, despite joining just this year, Diaz has made 20 appearances across all competitions for the Reds. He has changed games for Liverpool down that left-hand side, most visibly against Villarreal last week when he came on in the second half to win the tie 5-2 on aggregate and book our place in the UEFA Champions League final.
And now, Jurgen Klopp has praised the ex-FC Porto winger for the impact he has had on the squad. The German said, as quoted by Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo:
“He made a real impact, in any squad in the world there’s enough room for a world-class player. That’s what Luis is, that’s why we were so desperate to get him and happy to get him. He makes all the difference.”
The 25-year-old has also allowed Sadio Mane to play at centre-forward on certain occasions in the absence of Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian star has struggled with injuries this season and has been missing for us in recent weeks.
But with the inclusion of Diaz, our attack seems secure. There is ample depth on the bench even when Diaz, Mane, and Mohamed Salah start- with the likes of Takumi Minamino, Divock Origi, and Diogo Jota waiting to make an impact.
Most interestingly, Diaz was heavily linked with a switch to Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window before his move to Anfield. But in a move that apparently left Daniel Levy ‘furious‘ with Liverpool, the South American star joined Klopp’s side.
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And now, he is on his way to winning a quadruple this season. He has carried the form that he showed in Portugal, to Liverpool, and it would be a surprise if he is left on the bench against Spurs- given the impact that he has had for us going forward in attack.