BREAKING NEWS: “Pep Guardiola claims he would spend £200 million to bring a Liverpool player to his team, and it’s not Mohamed Salah. He believes this player is currently the best in the Liverpool squad.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot recently disclosed that he was taken aback by the sudden departure of one of his standout players, who informed him personally about his decision to move to Manchester City. Slot described the transfer of his “phenomenal” player from Liverpool to City as shocking.

On social media platform X, renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano addressed the swirling rumors linking Luis Diaz to a potential transfer to Manchester City.

Romano, relying on information from his sources, debunked the speculation, stating that there was no truth to the claims that Diaz had agreed to a five-year contract with City, nor that the club was prepared to pay €70 million for his services.

Given Diaz’s importance to Liverpool, the prospect of his departure seemed highly unlikely, especially with the new season fast approaching.

Liverpool would have had little time to find an adequate replacement, and selling such a key player to a direct rival like Manchester City would be a significant and unexpected move. Romano’s update has thus offered a sense of relief to Liverpool supporters who were worried about losing one of their star players to a rival club.

From Manchester City’s perspective, although Diaz could have been a valuable addition to their attack, especially after Julian Alvarez’s transfer to Atletico Madrid, they will now likely have to explore other options.

City manager Pep Guardiola may be assessing alternatives, considering that Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku might not fully meet his expectations. Additionally, with Bernardo Silva aging, City might soon need to find a long-term replacement for him.

For Liverpool, the news that Diaz is staying is a welcome reprieve, as finding a player of his caliber on short notice would have been a formidable challenge. However, the club still faces pressure to make new signings, as they have yet to be active in the transfer market this summer.

As Arne Slot prepares to take over from the legendary Jürgen Klopp, he will likely encounter difficulties in filling such big shoes. Strengthening the squad, particularly in defense where Virgil van Dijk may be past his peak and Ibrahima Konate has struggled with injuries, could be crucial to Slot’s success at Liverpool.