LFC Live - Liverpool had Julian Alvarez transfer 'exchange' as Man City sliding doors moment clear

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.

Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid(Image: Diego Souto/Getty Images)

Liverpool are said to have held transfer talks with Manchester City over a swap deal involving Luis Diaz and Julian Alvarez in 2024.

That turned out to be a good decision as the Premier League trophy title was won at the end of the season.

However, Diaz might have upset the trio's strategy early on as the club reportedly came to understand it was the winger's wish to leave for Man City.

READ MORE:Liverpool told how £320m transfers can benefit Mohamed Salah after record-breaking windowREAD MORE:Alexander Isak behaviour in Liverpool training speaks volumes after £125m transfer

Liverpool's recruitment team are said to have approached their rivals regarding the transfer, proposing that Diaz move one way whilst Alvarez moved the other to Anfield.

At the time the forward was 24, had completed two years in England, and had scored 36 goals in that time.

City essentially responded: "We don’t sell to rivals," killing the swap deal dead.

Liverpool replied: "Neither do we then."

City went on to sell Alvarez to Atletico Madrid months later for £81.5m, whilst the Reds kept hold of Diaz, who went on to register 25 goal contributions en route to winning the Premier League.

With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear just how important this decision has been in the context of not only Liverpool's on-field success last season, but their major business completed during the summer 2025 transfer window.

Diaz's £65.5m sale to Bayern Munich this summer, along with Darwin Nunez's £43.3m departure to Al-Hilal, helped offset the some of the costs of a record-breaking summer on Merseyside.

In a first incoming of note, Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m.

As Alvarez is capable of operating in the space between attack and midfielder, his arrival from City over one year ago could have changed perceptions over the need for a specialist attacking midfielder ahead of Slot's second season in charge.

Following on, Slot ended up with forwards Alexander Isak, signed for £125m, and Hugo Ekitike, for £79m, in place of the South Americans who departed.

Again, if Alvarez already had a place in the squad since last year, it might have triggered a different timeline whereby one - or perhaps both - didn't end up at Liverpool.

The Anfield faithful will instead get their first look at Alvarez in 18 months when Atleti visit for their opening Champions League fixture of the season next Wednesday, September 17.

For the latest news and breaking news, visit liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/liverpool-fc.

Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter @?LivEchoLFC - the official Liverpool ECHO LFC Twitter account - for all the latest LFC news as it happens in real time.

We're also on Facebook/LiverpoolEchoLFC - your must-see LFC news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Liverpool ECHO.

Article continues below

Listen to our podcasts by searching for 'Blood Red' wherever you get your podcasts.