Keown wants Luis Diaz axed after what he’s seen from Liverpool star v Brentford
Martin Keown believes Liverpool should axe Luis Diaz from their starting line-up after being unimpressed by the Colombian.
Speaking during the Reds’ Premier League clash with Brentford on Saturday (18 January), Keown admitted that he is not a fan of the 28-year-old playing as a striker for Arne Slot’s side.
The player-turned-pundit is of the view that Diaz’s levels have “dropped” and claimed that Cody Gakpo would be more effective down the middle.
“I would play Cody Gakpo down the middle”, Keown said on BBC’s Football Focus, as quoted on BBC Sport’s live blog (18 January, 3:18 pm).
“I’m not with Luis Diaz, he has dropped a little bit. It’s a great competition with places that Liverpool have got.”
Luis Diaz faces uncertain Liverpool future at Anfield
Playing Diaz as a striker has been a hit-and-miss project, with the former Porto ace scoring three goals in seven Premier League games since December.
It will be three league games since the Colombia international has found the back of the net if he does not score against Brentford on Saturday.
With Diaz set to enter the final two years of his contract at Anfield this summer, there are serious concerns about his long-term future on Merseyside.
The winger has been linked with a move away from the Premier League giants in previous windows and it would not be a surprise if he sealed an exit at the end of the season.
Slot may have also not experimented so much with Diaz as a number nine had Diogo Jota stayed fit or Darwin Nunez took his chances.
It is very much possible that Liverpool sign a new centre-forward in the summer and move Diaz on.
In other Liverpool news, this Premier League are shockingly in the running to sign Nunez.
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