Liverpool transfer reshuffle: Díaz and Núñez eyed as Wirtz bid made

Al Nassr and Al Hilal show clear interest

Following Liverpool’s 2024–25 Premier League title, Gulf-based clubs have started defining their transfer targets. According to The Guardian, Al Nassr have identified Luis Díaz as a key target, while Darwin Núñez is on Al Hilal’s radar. Díaz has two years left on his contract, and there has been no attempt to extend it so far. Al Nassr are seeking a wide player capable of carrying attacking responsibility in the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era. The same report states that Liverpool are open to offers for Núñez and that his role in the squad is under internal review.

Season performances justify the transfer interest

Luis Díaz played 50 matches across all competitions this season, scoring 17 goals and providing 8 assists. In the Premier League, he contributed 13 goals and 5 assists in 36 appearances. His scoring output and influence in the final third have made him a key figure in Saudi clubs’ long-term planning.

Darwin Núñez, on the other hand, finished the season with 7 goals and 7 assists in 47 appearances. His Premier League contributions were more modest—5 goals and 2 assists in 30 matches. While he remains a strong runner in transition and excels at exploiting space behind the defence, his inconsistency in front of goal has limited his impact. This positions him as a forward who could be adapted to various system-based roles.

Record bid made for Florian Wirtz

According to The Guardian, Liverpool have submitted a £109 million offer for Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz. This figure could become the most expensive transfer in the club’s history, surpassing the £85 million fee paid for Núñez in 2022. Wirtz is reportedly uninterested in joining Bayern Munich and prefers a Premier League move. The offer forms part of a broader strategy to build a creative midfield core that can sustain attacking play and dictate tempo.

Flank overhaul with Frimpong and Kerkez

Liverpool have signed Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5 million as part of a strategic revamp on the right flank. Frimpong’s ability to operate wide along the line adds value to Slot’s system both in defensive build-up and expansive attacking play. His presence will be especially vital during Salah’s absence at the Africa Cup of Nations.

According to The Times, Liverpool have shortlisted Bournemouth’s 21-year-old left-back Milos Kerkez. Bournemouth are reportedly expecting a fee in the region of £45 million. While no official bid has been submitted yet, negotiations remain open between the clubs. Fabrizio Romano reports that Kerkez is keen on joining Liverpool, with a broad agreement on personal terms already in place. His pace and physicality make him a strong candidate to play a key role on the left flank in Slot’s post-Robertson setup.

System-first squad engineering under Slot

Since Arne Slot took over at the start of last season, Liverpool’s transfer strategy has evolved to prioritise technical and structural needs. The club now targets players who directly enhance the functioning of its system, aiming to deepen the squad while increasing tactical diversity. Wirtz’s creativity in the middle, Frimpong’s width on the right, and Kerkez’s presence on the left all form integral parts of this restructuring. If Díaz and Núñez leave, it would not simply represent the exit of two individuals—it would mark a structural transformation in Liverpool’s playing model.

A pivotal threshold in squad building

For a Liverpool side aiming to construct tactical cohesion and squad depth under Slot, the interest in Díaz and Núñez is about more than just transfers. These developments will reveal how the club intends to evolve its game model and which player profiles can be sustained within that system. The moves made in the coming weeks will clarify whether Liverpool choose technical consistency or financial recalibration as their guiding principle.