Richard Hughes transfer 'priority' clear as Liverpool make key decision on £37m star
Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes has outlined his next priority focus for the transfer window.
Liverpool are expected to cash in on more players as the summer transfer window unfolds but they have reportedly made their decision clear on one significant player.
The Reds have made it one of their main focuses to bolster their attack ahead of their Premier League title-defending season. The addition of record signing Florian Wirtz has sparked great excitement among the fans but there are still pieces of the puzzle yet to consider.
Luis Diaz is the subject of a lot of attention right now and the fate of his summer will impact how Liverpool approach the rest of the transfer window.
Liverpool make Luis Diaz stance clear
According to The Athletic, Liverpool have made their stance on Diaz’s situation clear. It has been reported that the Colombian ‘will not leave’ this summer, despite multiple clubs eager to snap him up. The Reds signed Diaz for an initial £37 million but his market value has skyrocketed during his time on Merseyside.
Should Liverpool’s stance on Diaz change, they will need to bring in a suitable replacement, as it will leave Cody Gakpo as the club’s only natural left-winger on the books.
However, if they can stick to their plan of keeping Diaz at Anfield, Liverpool’s focus will remain on signing a new centre-forward. Sporting director Richard Hughes is currently ‘prioritising’ bringing in a solid No.9 to take their attack to their next level.
Federico Chiesa is considered an option to play up front but he had very limited opportunities to make an impact on the team last season, making just six Premier League appearances in his debut campaign.
Darwin Nunez’s future is also firmly under the microscope at the moment following a mixed run of performances since his arrival from Benfica in 2022.
Will Liverpool sell Darwin Nunez?
Amid interest also shown in Nunez, The Athletic report claims that a move is ‘expected to progress soon’ for the Uruguayan.
Napoli and Al-Hilal are both interested in signing the striker but no acceptable offers have been pitched to Liverpool yet. All signs are pointing to Nunez being moved on, with Liverpool needing to strengthen every area as they enter an exciting new chapter as Premier League champions once again.
Nunez did enjoy getting back on the score-sheet for Liverpool at the weekend, though. During an emotional fixture as both Liverpool and Preston North End honoured Diogo Jota and his brother Andre, Nunez slipped a goal in to contribute to the Reds’ 3-1 pre-season win.
The 26-year-old immediately pulled out both of Jota’s iconic celebrations, as did Cody Gakpo when he scored the final goal of the day. Conor Bradley also paid tribute to Jota, pointing to the heavens after his goal opened up the scoring for Liverpool.
The clash at Deepdale featured so many tear-jerking moments as Liverpool took to the pitch for the first time since Jota’s passing. The travelling Reds fans chanted Jota’s song for more than ten minutes straight as the clock ticked towards the 20th minute. Preston fans also gave their support throughout the match, and captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath in front of the Liverpool supporters to honour the brothers.