Arne Slot confirms Luis Diaz missed Liverpool's AC Milan friendly in Hong Kong due to speculation he may leave the club this summer
Published 26/07/2025 at 18:04 GMT+1
Arne Slot has confirmed Luis Diaz was not involved in Liverpool's pre-season friendly defeat to AC Milan due to speculation surrounding his potential departure this summer. Diaz has been heavily linked with a move to German giants Bayern Munich as Liverpool's busy transfer window looks set to continue. Darwin Nunez missed the game with a minor injury, according to Slot.
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Arne Slot has confirmed that Luis Diaz missed Liverpool’s pre-season defeat to AC Milan due to speculation around his potential departure this summer.
Liverpool were defeated 4-2 by Milan in Hong Kong in the first match of their pre-season tour, after substitute Noah Okafor’s second-half brace for the Italian side.
Colombian Diaz has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich throughout the summer after the German champions made him a key target.
His absence from the side meant new record signing Florian Wirtz played through the middle of the attack, after Darwin Nunez was also missing from the squad.
Slot admitted Diaz was absent due to the rumours circulating, but revealed Nunez was out due to an injury.
"In Lucho’s situation it was [due to speculation], yeah," Slot said. "There’s a lot of rumours around him lately and I cannot go into that.
"He’s training really well with us but we have decided for now not to play him yet. I cannot comment much more about that.
"In Darwin’s situation he has trained also really well and played a few good games for us already this season but he was injured so we didn’t take the risk.
"That’s part of pre-season; the boys need to go towards match fitness and that’s a thin balance, thin line sometimes. "
Liverpool have been heavily linked with Newcastle forward Alexander Isak this summer, having already secured the signings of Wirtz, striker Hugo Ekitike as well as defenders Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.
Slot defended the spending, explaining that the squad had to evolve to try and keep ahead of their rivals.
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"I think what I’ve also said is I’m really happy with the squad we had. That’s what we also showed by not bringing in new players last season," Slot added.
"Now we won the league, but you can see everywhere around us, that all of these teams try to strengthen their squads.
"So, if you do the same as we did last year, we will probably not be able to win it again, so, we have to improve.
"We’ve tried to bring new energy in but also ‘weapons’, as you called it, and I think the players we’ve brought in have shown already in the few times we have trained together and the games we’ve played.
"Now let’s wait how Hugo [Ekitike] is going to do that. Really pleased what we did until now, but already really pleased we kept the players that had an extended contract last season."
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Ryan Gravenberch filled in at centre back for Liverpool against Milan.
Image credit: Getty Images
One area of concern for Slot and Liverpool is centre-back, with Ibrahima Konate heading into the final year of his contract and Jarell Quansah moving to Bayer Leverkusen.
Ryan Gravenberch filled in alongside Virgil van Dijk against Milan, but Slot insists he is happy with his defensive options, although he has not ruled out going in for further defensive reinforcements.
He said: "I’m looking to my left and I don’t think we have a concern at centre-back.
"In terms of depth? I think Ryan [Gravenberch] showed today that he can play in that position. He did it last season as well, although we all know we favour him as a No. 6.
"Wata [Endo] can play there. Joe Gomez only has a minor injury, he has been good for us last season as well.
"We have enough options left. But it’s true that Jarell Quansah left and we haven’t replaced him yet."
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