Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler believes the team is feeling the effects of losing a key £65 million player following the summer transfer window.
Fowler says Liverpool are “really missing” Luis Díaz, who left Anfield to join Bayern Munich in a deal worth around £65m after three and a half seasons on Merseyside. His departure came during a turbulent summer in which Darwin Núñez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harvey Elliott, and Jarell Quansah also exited the club.
Despite spending more than £450m on reinforcements, Liverpool’s title defence has stumbled. They have already suffered five defeats in their first 11 league games and sit eight points behind leaders Arsenal.
With Mohamed Salah’s influence fading and new signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz still finding their feet, Liverpool’s attacking issues have become more evident. Fowler believes many of those struggles stem from Díaz’s departure.
Although Liverpool had hoped to keep the Colombian winger, Díaz pushed for the move. Fowler admits he is surprised there hasn’t been more discussion about the void he left behind.
“I’m not sure why he chose to leave, but it all happened quickly, which makes me think he wanted the move,” Fowler told Metro, speaking on behalf of Adventure Gamers. “For me, he was one of Liverpool’s best players last season. I’m genuinely surprised there hasn’t been more said about how much they’re missing him.
“When you look at Liverpool’s early-season difficulties, especially their struggles to break down deep, defensive teams, Díaz is exactly the kind of player who could unlock those situations. I think they’ve really felt his absence.”
Another player who left last summer was Tyler Morton, the 23-year-old academy graduate who did not feature in the league under Arne Slot and later joined Lyon. After a challenging start in France, Morton has become an important figure for his new club. He has already been linked with a Premier League return, with Crystal Palace and West Ham said to be interested.
Morton recently admitted he “didn’t feel trusted” by Slot, and while his future at Liverpool seems unlikely, Fowler believes the midfielder still has significant potential.
“He’s definitely good enough—he’s shown that before when he played in Liverpool’s midfield,” Fowler said. “But being realistic, the manager barely used him last season, so it’s hard to imagine him coming back under this current setup.
“From what I’ve seen, Morton is a talented player, but perhaps his style didn’t fit what the manager was looking for. I truly hope he proves people wrong, because he’s a local lad who worked his way up the academy ladder. I always want to see players like that succeed.”
