‘Slot makes costly mistake at Liverpool’ as Chiesa and Diaz updates drop
Arne Slot is facing difficult decisions regarding the makeup of Liverpool’s squad this summer.
Slot has considerably strengthened at full back and attacking midfield, and looks set to tick off the striker position shortly as a deal for Hugo Ekitike draws closer.
However, he faces an issue at centre-back as Ibrahima Konate seems unwilling to commit his future to Liverpool, while Jarell Quansah has already left the club.
Slot will also have to address the futures of Luis Diaz, who is linked with Bayern Munich, and Federico Chiesa, and may have made an error in judgment regarding their situations.
Chiesa left out of pre-season tour
Chiesa was Slot’s only signing last summer, but was sparsely used by the former Feyenoord manager as he struggled to make an impression on Merseyside.
The 27-year-old has three years left on his contract, but started just four games last season and is expected to leave after growing frustrated with his limited playing time.
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
| Liverpool | 14 | 2 | 2 | 466′ |
Slot clearly hopes for the same outcome as Chiesa was left out of his squad for Liverpool’s pre-season tour, as reported by Fabrizio Romano (20 July).
Meanwhile, Diaz did not feature in Liverpool’s 5-0 victory against Stoke on Sunday (20 July), but will travel to Asia with his team as they continue their preparations for next season.
Slot’s decision not to bring Chiesa with the squad could be a costly mistake for the Reds as it sends a clear message to potential suitors that the Italian is not part of the manager’s plans.
It will diminish Liverpool’s bargaining power and will likely result in the Reds having to accept a much lower offer for the former Juventus man this summer.
Liverpool may have misjudged spending strategy
Liverpool’s approach this summer has been bold as they have secured their primary targets in each position, bringing in young and exciting talent.
However, with their spending set to exceed £250million with the arrival of Ekitike, it’s unclear how much more cash FSG have available.
This may leave Slot shorthanded to cover for other positions, especially if Diaz ends up making the switch to Germany.
His departure would afford Liverpool more cash to play with, but with further concerns over the defence and potentially central midfield, it remains to be seen whether the Premier League champions have miscalculated their priorities.
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