No regrets: Steve Nicol hits out at criticism of Liverpool’s Luis Díaz sale

Liverpool’s decision to cash in on Luis Díaz for £65 million last summer has come under renewed scrutiny after the Colombian’s blistering start at Bayern Munich, but Anfield legend Steve Nicol insists the club should feel no remorse.

Díaz has tormented Bundesliga defenses this season, registering 14 goals and 10 assists in 24 league outings and establishing himself among Europe’s most prolific forwards. With Jürgen Klopp’s successor, Arne Slot, still searching for consistent wide production, questions have resurfaced about whether Liverpool sold the 29-year-old too soon.

Nicol, however, argues the backlash is purely hindsight-driven. Speaking to ESPN, the former Reds defender recalled that few voices were raised in protest when the club accepted Bayern’s near-£70 million offer. “Nobody said Liverpool are crazy, Liverpool are mad,” Nicol pointed out. “At the time it seemed like very sensible and great business for a 29-year-old when you already have Gakpo, and then you bring in Wirtz and Isak.”

Liverpool channeled the windfall into an extensive midfield overhaul, a reshuffle that Nicol believes remains defensible even if every subsequent gamble has not yet paid off. The choice to extend Mohamed Salah’s contract rather than enter negotiations with Díaz also appeared logical last summer, given the Egyptian’s pedigree and durability.

Cody Gakpo’s failure to replicate Díaz’s explosive output has intensified the spotlight, yet Nicol contends that competition for places should have been addressed earlier. He would have dropped Gakpo for the recent meeting with Wolves, instead handing the central role to Hugo Ekitike and unleashing teenage winger Ngumoha down the left. Ngumoha seized his rare start, delivering a performance that has ignited debate over Slot’s pecking order heading into next weekend’s test against Tottenham.

Whether the youngster retains his spot for the daunting trip to Galatasaray remains doubtful, but the Spurs clash could offer a clearer gauge of how highly Slot rates the academy graduate.

For Nicol, the overarching narrative is clear: the sale of Díaz was sound business at the time, and criticism only carries weight when viewed through the prism of present-day results.