Liverpool legend names his ideal Mohamed Salah replacement | OneFootball

Diaz impact at Bayern highlights Liverpool regret

There are moments in elite football when timing defines everything. For Liverpool, the departure of Luis Diaz now feels like one of those inflection points that may linger longer than anticipated. As reported by talkSPORT, the Colombian winger is flourishing in Germany, and his performances are beginning to prompt difficult questions back on Merseyside.

Steven Gerrard, speaking candidly, did not hesitate when reflecting on Diaz’s current trajectory. The former Liverpool captain admitted he would welcome the winger back without hesitation, a sentiment that carries weight given Diaz’s decisive influence at Bayern Munich.

The numbers reinforce the narrative. Diaz has delivered 23 goals in just 40 appearances this season, an output that underscores both efficiency and consistency. His recent display against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, where he coolly finished after evading Trent Alexander-Arnold, served as a reminder of the cutting edge Liverpool once possessed.

Sold for £65 million last summer, Diaz’s move is increasingly viewed as a bargain for Bayern. For Liverpool, it raises the question of whether they relinquished a player entering his peak years too soon.

Photo: IMAGO

Gerrard’s vision for Liverpool attack evolution

Gerrard’s assessment extended beyond nostalgia. His remarks pointed to a broader concern about Liverpool’s attacking transition, particularly with Mohamed Salah’s future uncertain.

Speaking in full, Gerrard said: “All day long. But the problem is, why would he leave Bayern Munich? Big club, they’re challenging for the big honours, probably the strongest Bayern Munich team we’ve seen for a while.

He’s about to take the World Cup by storm come the summer, he looks like a really happy kid, settled… I don’t think he’s going anywhere.

But yes, I would love him at Liverpool, and you know what? I wouldn’t mind Diaz back as well.”

It is a revealing quote. Gerrard acknowledges both the realism and the longing. Liverpool’s pull remains significant, but Bayern’s current stability and ambition make any return improbable in the short term.

His admiration is not limited to Diaz. Gerrard also highlighted Michael Olise as a potential successor figure, though he conceded the difficulty of extracting talent from a Bayern side competing at the highest level.

Recruitment strategy under scrutiny

Liverpool’s recruitment model has long been praised for its adaptability. Gerrard himself referenced this flexibility when discussing past transitions.

“I think the concern, if you’re trying to replace Salah, in terms of like, for like, I think there’s very few out there that you can go and grab,” he explained.

“Olise would be one, I would say, but I don’t think he’d be available, but from experience, being around Liverpool as a player, and also since I’ve left, Liverpool’s recruitment team will have different options, and that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll look for a like-for-like.

When we had to replace Mane, for example, we went for Diaz, who’s slightly different, or when Suarez has left, they’ve had different types of options to try and replace the players.

But Liverpool have got a fantastic record of replacing top players that have gone before, so I’ve got every confidence from a recruitment point of view that they’ll have different types of options, not necessarily a like-for-like.

One thing is for certain, they have to try and replace some kind of his goal involvement in terms of goals and assists, which is extremely difficult because he’s been incredible for Liverpool for many years.”

This reflects a pragmatic philosophy. Liverpool do not replicate; they reinvent. Yet Diaz’s current form suggests that sometimes evolution might have been better served by retention.

Pressure building around Liverpool season trajectory

Beyond transfer reflections, Gerrard’s comments also touched on the immediate pressures facing Liverpool. A demanding fixture list, including a Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain and a crucial league clash with Fulham, has intensified scrutiny on Arne Slot.

Gerrard was clear about the stakes.

“I think it’s key. But I think the Fulham game is just as important [as the two matches against PSG].

I think if the ownership and the people above see that gap to Villa and United stretch or get any worse, I worry for the manager’s position.

I don’t want that to happen – I’m a huge fan of Arne Slot. I was blown away by his first season, I must say. He’s a good man. He’s obviously a very, very good coach, the job he’s done.

I think the key to this situation will be the Fulham game, in terms of, if he can put more heat on United and Villa, and he can stay in the PSG game into next week, I think everything will be fine and in a better place in five, six days’ time.

But if this was to get any worse, I would be worried for the manager.”

These are not idle observations. Liverpool’s season appears delicately poised, and performances in the coming week could define both short-term outcomes and longer-term strategy.

As highlighted in the original report by talkSPORT, Gerrard’s reflections combine admiration, realism and a subtle warning. Diaz’s brilliance at Bayern is not just a success story abroad; it is a mirror held up to Liverpool’s current state.