A Diaz upgrade: Hughes has held talks to sign £51m star for Liverpool

Everyone at Football FanCast is devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva. We are sending our thoughts and prayers to their friends, families, teammates and loved ones.

Liverpool have sold Jarell Quansah. Liverpool's defensive graduate has played his part over the past few years, replacing Joel Matip after the Cameroonian's knee injury and then going on to win titles and cement himself as a first-team star.

Praised by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his "complete package", Quansah is the perfect profile for a modern centre-back; however, he struggled to replicate his form under Arne Slot's last wing, on the backfoot from the offing after his half-time substitution last August, the new coach bemoaning his side's success in the duel during his opening match in the dugout against Ipswich Town.

It's the events of Liverpool's triumphant 2024/25 season that have led to Quansah's sale, but the 22-year-old can certainly hold his head high after winning the Carabao Cup and Premier League, notching 58 Reds appearances in total.

Beginners luck? Not likely. This is a wonderful talent who has now been signed by German club Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £35m. Liverpool have inserted a buyback clause.

Liverpool are having a fantastic transfer window, but they may yet have to contend with further exits to ruffle things up in Slot's squad. Indeed, Luis Diaz is also being chased by one of the German Bundesliga's heaviest hitters.

Why Luis Diaz could leave Liverpool

There's a lot to be excited about if you're of a Liverpool persuasion, but there's no question that selling Diaz would be met with a measure of concern.

Bayern Munich have seen a formal approach rejected for the Colombian winger after Barcelona's rebuffed bid at the start of June.

While Diaz's contract expires in two years, there have been no concrete negotiations pertaining to a renewal. This has left the 28-year-old frustrated, for he earns a comparatively modest wage of £55k per week.

For FSG's part, they are happy to run down Diaz's contract, waiving any chance of banking a healthy fee and instead profiting from his performances on the pitch.

After all, Diaz is coming off his best campaign in a Liverpool shirt, notching 25 goal contributions and providing invaluable support as a makeshift centre-forward.

But there remains an interest in a long-term successor all the same.

Liverpool in talks to sign new winger

According to The Independent, Liverpool are one of the clubs in contact with Lyon winger Malick Fofana, although FSG know work is to be done if they are to win the race, for Nottingham Forest have had an official bid accepted already.

Lyon have been provisionally relegated from Ligue 1 for financial troubles, thus widening the opportunity for suitors to sign Fofana, 20, this summer.

He won't go cheap though. The French giants have slapped a €60m (£51m) price tag on their rising star, and that figure may yet soar as Lyon seek to hold out and drum up as much interest as possible.

Why Liverpool should sign Malick Fofana

Sporting director Richard Hughes has been tracking Fofana for a while, and his style of football suggests he would be an ideal addition to emulate the success Diaz has enjoyed on Merseyside.

Fofana, who has already made his international debut with Belgium, has been praised for his "explosive" style of play by analyst Ben Mattinson, bearing pace and physicality that isn't too far away from Diaz's robust skill set.

Joining from Belgian team Gent for a fee rising to €22m (£19m) in January 2024, he's certainly shown himself to possess a clinical eye, scoring 15 goals and supplying seven assists across 62 appearances, of which only 29 have been starts.

The majority of those contributions came last term, with Fofana's 11-goal and six-assist haul marking the beginning of a prolific journey that could see him emulate Diaz at Liverpool.

Malick Fofana vs Luis Diaz (2024/25) Stats (per 90) Fofana Diaz Goals 0.47 0.48 Assists 0.21 0.15 Touches (att pen) 6.08 6.18 Shots taken 1.84 2.52 Shot-creating actions 3.38 4.34 Progressive passes 2.44 3.95 Progressive carries 6.72 3.98 Successful take-ons 1.41 2.17 Ball recoveries 3.38 3.92 Tackles + interceptions 1.84 1.69 Data via FBref

When looking at how the two wingers ranked up across all competitions in 2024/25 for their respective clubs, there's perhaps a curious point to be made regarding Fofana's (and in sequence Diaz's) output, more creative and marginally more prolific than his counterpart.

Add his unrelenting ball-carrying into the bargain and you've got a wide forward capable of playing the role which Diaz plies so effectively for the Anfield outfit. In March, Fofana freed himself from his teenage years; the best is yet to come.

But that's not to say he hasn't shown his quality against heavy hitters. Only a few months ago, he racked up an assist against Manchester United in that extraordinary Europa League knockout tie. The Red Devils went through but the Belgian winger added to his earlier success in the competition with an impactful off-the-bench performance.

Did we mention that across his 16 Ligue 1 starts last season, the left-sided, right-footed forward scored five goals, missing only four big chances, created six big chances and won 54% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore. Combative and creative, he's the full package.

Stepping into the Premier League while still finding his feet as a professional would make Fofana a risk for Liverpool to make, but an educated one at that. He wouldn't be expected to perform with the slick intensity that Diaz brings, not from the offing, but there's no question he has the tools to replace and maybe even improve upon Slot's South American sensation.

Liverpool's boss has already demonstrated an incredible coaching aptitude on English soil, lifting the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo (who adds perfect competition on the left flank).

This is a talent of immense potential, and with so many clubs queuing up, Liverpool might want to take their shot before it's too late.

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