Liverpool could have had a £45m Diaz upgrade but let him leave for free

Liverpool maintained their place on the prime of the Premier League desk this weekend as they secured a 3-1 win over Burnley at Anfield on Saturday.

The Reds are actually two factors forward of reigning champions Manchester City, who briefly overtook them earlier within the day, but have performed another recreation than Pep Guardiola’s facet.

There was a historic second for a sure Reds participant through the first half as Trent Alexander-Arnold recorded his 58th Premier League help, with a good nook for Diogo Jota’s aim.

As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, the Liverpool academy graduate has now offered extra assists than some other defender within the historical past of the division – another than teammate Andy Robertson, who could nonetheless overtake him earlier than the tip of their respective careers.

It was a nice second for Alexander-Arnold and for the Reds as considered one of their academy merchandise has gone on to grow to be a star within the Premier League.

Most worthwhile former Liverpool academy prospects

However, Liverpool have not all the time made the a lot of the expertise that has been inside their academy system as one of the crucial worthwhile former gamers by no means went on to make a first-team look for the membership.

Alexander-Arnold, as per Transfermarkt, is probably the most worthwhile ex-academy gem for Liverpool at €70m (£59.7m), and present Newcastle United ahead Anthony Gordon is second with a worth of €50m (£42.6m).

That is barely decrease, although, than his precise worth because the Magpies snapped him up from fellow Premier League facet Everton in a £45m deal in January 2023.

As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, Liverpool have produced a variety of highly-valued younger gamers in recent times who’re presently flying excessive within the Premier League.

Gordon, nevertheless, is one they might really feel received away from them as they determined to launch him at a younger age, and he has since gone on to shine for Everton and Newcastle within the top-flight.

TalkSPORT beforehand reported that the winger had been let go by the Reds on the age of 11, which allowed the Toffees to snap him up for their academy.

Of course, it will be extremely harsh accountable anybody on the membership for that call as there isn’t any telling how a participant will develop and go on to enhance or change on the age of 11.

However, there could also be a sense of ‘what if?’ because the 22-year-old ahead could be an upgrade on present Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz, primarily based on their respective performances to date within the Premier League this season.

Luis Diaz’s season in numbers

The Colombia worldwide, who scored the staff’s second aim within the 3-1 win over Burnley on Saturday, has been a stable, if unspectacular, performer for the Reds to date this season.

Diaz produced 4 objectives and two assists in 17 video games within the top-flight all through the 2022/23 marketing campaign, and is but to actually kick on from that return in entrance of aim.

The 27-year-old whiz has made 23 appearances within the Premier League to date this season and scored 5 objectives from an xG of 5.56, which suggests that he’s barely underperforming as a finisher.

He has additionally solely offered two assists and created one ‘large probability’ for his teammates in these 23 matches. In reality, the Reds gem ranks throughout the backside 11% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for Expected Assisted Goals (0.11) per 90.

These statistics counsel that the previous Porto star has not offered excellent high quality as both a scorer or a creator of objectives for Jurgen Klopp on the left flank, with common ending and below-average creativity.

Meanwhile, Gordon has outperformed him on each fronts for Newcastle beneath Eddie Howe this season, having joined the Magpies from Everton in January of final yr.

Anthony Gordon’s brilliance this season

The England U21 worldwide has discovered his ft in Tyneside and has established himself as considered one of their stars along with his chic shows within the league this time period.

Gordon managed 4 objectives and nil assists in 32 Premier League matches for Newcastle and Everton mixed all through the 2022/23 marketing campaign, which made the £45m price spent on his companies look barely questionable.

However, the 22-year-old whiz, who’s 5 years youthful than Diaz, has taken his recreation to the following stage beneath Howe this season, and is exhibiting his high quality week-in-week-out as a sensation within the division.

As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, Gordon has offered his staff with extra finish product than the Liverpool winger within the remaining third with extra objectives, extra assists, extra large possibilities created, and extra xA.

He has additionally been extra ruthless in entrance of aim compared to Diaz because the English magician has overperformed his xG for Newcastle to date.

The Magpies starlet, who was as soon as described as “electric” by journalist Keith Downie, solely racked up seven objectives and eight assists in 78 matches for Everton but has gone on to search out consistency on the prime finish of the pitch at St. James’ Park.

His output this season means that he could be an upgrade on Diaz – to not say that he’s a dangerous participant by any stretch – within the present Liverpool staff, because of his superior high quality as a finisher and a creator from the left flank, and that’s the reason the Reds fumbled once they launched him for £0 on the age of 11.

As aforementioned, it will be extremely harsh to criticise the membership for what now seems to be a mistake, because of how early into his academy profession it was, but it’s fascinating to think about what could have occurred in the event that they stored religion within the proficient whiz.