Liverpool's attacking issues confirm £65m transfer error

Throughout the summer transfer window, Liverpool were cut-throat in their recruitment decisions.

Players who the club felt didn't have a future in Arne Slot's side were dismissed, alongside those who couldn't break into the team and needed minutes elsewhere in order to progress their careers.

A grand total of £228m was raised from sales to part-fund the £446m that was spent to replace and upgrade those who left. It was an extraordinarily ruthless squad turnover and making sure Liverpool made the right decision with each player was always going to be a difficult process. A lot happened.

In the eyes of some, the Reds might have made the wrong call on their £65m forward sale, given the team is now struggling to develop the chemistry that last season's group of players had in spades.

Was it an error selling Diaz to Bayern?

Luis Diaz was a big character at Liverpool for three and a half years, creating havoc for defenders in the Premier League with his rapid pace and unpredictable nature. At times, he was a joy to watch.

Last season, he delivered 17 goals and five assists, the best attacking returns of his career on Merseyside and the second best numbers he's recorded in the nine years he's been a professional.

Selling him was always going to be a bold call. You felt as though he could have done more in the time he spent on the pitch and the context of his contract and ageing profile meant that a judgement call had to be made. In the end, the £65m that Bayern Munich offered for his services decided it.

Now, if we're truly honest, the deal was a masterclass. The 28-year-old was not quite meeting the standards that Liverpool needed to see from him and given Kingsley Coman left the Germans to join Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia for £26m, the extra £39m for a similar aged player could not be ignored.

In the long-term Liverpool will benefit massively from the endeavour. Giving the Colombian a new contract was not an enticing option. The short term pain of his absence is going to be worth it.

But it is worth considering the other perspective. After all, Diaz has started life in Germany on the front foot, scoring six goals and making four assists in just 10 games. He's earned himself a regular spot in Vincent Kompany's starting XI and Bayern are looking like an incredibly impressive unit.

Of course, the football that is played in the Bundesliga is different to that of the Premier League and the quality of the opposition is also different. Direct comparisons between the competitions is unfair.

Although his impact would certainly bolster the Reds if he hadn't have been sold in the summer.

Liverpool instead backed Cody Gakpo to become the first-choice left-winger, and Rio Ngumoha was called up because of the immense amount of potential he's showing at just 17 year old. Adding the teenager to the first-team was not a mistake - his ability to be a difference-maker is already clear.

However, the team is struggling and an extra bit of familiarity wouldn't have gone a miss. Nonetheless, fans will know that this is merely a short-term issue and in the long-term, the Reds will benefit massively from Richard Hughes' bold call. Right now, it's just about waiting until things click.

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