Wirtz's decision to perform a U-turn on an apparent agreement to join Bayern Munich and head to Liverpool has drawn some unexpected criticism

Slot rotated the pair at the beginning of last season, before he moved Diaz centrally following an injury to Jota. It allowed Gakpo to excel in the left-wing role, finishing the season as Liverpool’s second-highest scorer with 18, while Diaz became Slot’s preferred No 9 option for a large portion of the campaign.

Florian Wirtz is on the verge of completing what could be a Premier League record transfer to Liverpool, and one former Red has claimed Arne Slot may have played a big part in the deal