It was a significant sign of confidence in Rio Ngumoja’s potential that Liverpool did not choose to replace Luis Diaz directly this summer.
Dias, 28, has been a steady source of positivity on the left wing for more than three years on Merseyside, contributing to the Premier League title last season with 17 goals and eight assists in all competitions.
However, he and FSG had reached a contract dispute and Bayern Munich’s offer of £65.5 million was accepted in August as he was open to leaving to seek pastures new. He brought four major honors to Anfield.
Liverpool brought a wealth of talent to their squad this summer, but they did not sign an absolute left winger. This was partly due to the ability of Kodi Gakpo and £116m signing Florian Wirtz to play wide, but Ngmoha’s rise was also a factor.
But a rocky start to the season should have shown Arn Slott and sporting director Richard Hughes that they were probably wrong. And if rumors are to be believed, Reds leaders are looking to rectify that blunder.
Why Liverpool need a left winger
When Wertz joined Liverpool in July, he was expected to establish himself as one of the Premier League’s best players. There are still expectations for the start of his life in England, but it is still expected.
After assisting Hugo Ekitike on his debut in the Community Shield, the 22-year-old has whiffed in each of his eight appearances since then, lacking the quality and confidence to make a difference in key moments.
While the quality is certainly there, Liverpool’s widespread tactical struggles this season have compounded Wirtz’s slow start, with attacking midfielders struggling to find their way across central and wide berths.
While the German international can play wide, this is not his most effective role and with that in mind, Liverpool may want to sign a winger like Dias in 2026 to rebalance the system and perhaps improve Wirtz’s game at the same time.
And sources in Spain say FSG are preparing an official offer of €75m (about £65m) for Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, but the Basque outfit are waiting to see if their €90m (about £78m) valuation is met.
Williams, 23, was reported to be Arsenal’s “dream target” by Fabrizio Romano this summer, but the Gunners were unable to make a breakthrough and went their separate ways.
Keep an eye on this as Liverpool are aware of interest from other suitors and hope to seal a deal quickly.
What Nico Williams brings to Liverpool
Williams, a maverick winger, shot to fame with his performance at the 2024 European Championship with Spain, crucial to the Iberian nation’s victory, with Barcelona’s Pedri praising his “incredible” talent.
During that summer’s tournament, Spain far outperformed other nations, drawing much praise for the irresistible and electrifying performances of Williams and Lamine Yamal.
The quick-footed player made 171 appearances for Athletic Bilbao and won 30 caps for Spain. They each have 32 goals and assists for the club.
The start of this season was interrupted by a groin injury, but the £276,000-a-week ace, who has already scored one goal and provided two assists, is sure to hit his stride once his fitness levels return.
Last season was not a seamless success for Williams, as he only scored five goals in La Liga, but he scored 14 goals in all competitions, proving his high-level ability through basic statistics. According to Sofascore, he completed an average of 2.3 dribbles and won 4.9 duels each game.
It’s not just that Williams operates in a similar way to Dias, but that Slott could be a valuable piece of the puzzle for the Dutch manager as he attempts to recalibrate a struggling Liverpool team.
One might hope that Merseyside’s struggles are resolved by the end of the campaign, but Williams could prove long-term success and an upgrade over Werts in the left channel.
Florian Wirtz vs Nico Williams (last 12 months) | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (per 90) | Worts | williams |
Number of points scored | 0.29 | 0.34 |
assist | 0.35 | 0.23 |
shot taken | 2.59 | 2.48 |
The action that creates the shot | 4.89 | 5.17 |
touch (to pen) | 5.21 | 5.13 |
Pass completion rate (%) | 78.9 | 71.0 |
progressive path | 6.33 | 3.22 |
progressive carry | 3.95 | 5.91 |
successful take-up | 2.53 | 3.66 |
Number of balls collected | 4.03 | 4.77 |
Data via FBref | ||
Curiously, there are considerable similarities between each player, even though the differences in style are obvious when you watch them play in action.
Both players are adept at playing against defenders and have incredible control. Wirtz is an artist with the ball. However, Williams has been a rather unforgiving carrier, and teams in the slot will need to stretch the line to accommodate Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak in the middle.
In fact, journalist Zac Lowy has described him in the past as a “world-class prospect”, and he said he is an “absolute threat” who will be a terror for Spain’s defense throughout the 2023/24 season.
It is clear that Wirtz is a talented footballer and could become one of Liverpool’s main players in the Premier League. However, Liverpool need to sign a first-class winger to add width and energy to the slot side.
As analyst Ben Mattinson pointed out, Williams is a man who, with his “unpredictable” and “relentless” dribbling, is sure to add further dimension to Liverpool’s squad, especially if Mohamed Salah is a substitute winger and lacks his former athleticism.
Is Williams a more technically gifted footballer than Wirtz? Does his ceiling stretch higher than that of the German playmaker? In both cases, probably not.
However, Liverpool have not been in great form this season and the Spaniard’s incredible speed and Dias-like qualities as a winger may prove the upgrade they need to restore tactical equilibrium.