Mohamed Salah has spoken out in defense of his former Liverpool teammates Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez after fans compared them unfavorably to new arrivals Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.
Liverpool’s summer business drew massive attention, with the club spending over £240 million to bring in Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and Isak from Newcastle United. The record-breaking signings were funded largely through the departures of Diaz, who joined Bayern Munich, and Nunez, who moved to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
While excitement surrounds the new recruits, some fans labeled the switch as one of the biggest upgrades in football. An online post suggested that the replacements represented a major leap forward, placing Wirtz and Isak in the spotlight while fading out Diaz and Nunez.
Salah, however, was quick to respond. The forward reminded supporters of the contributions both players made during their time at Anfield. He urged fans to celebrate the new arrivals without disregarding the efforts of those who had left. According to him, respect should remain for individuals who gave everything for the club during their spells in the team.
Diaz made 148 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 41 goals and providing 23 assists before sealing a £65 million move to Bayern Munich. His start in Germany has been impressive, registering three goals and two assists in his first four matches. Nunez, on the other hand, contributed 40 goals in 143 games across all competitions during three years at Anfield before departing for €53 million.
Liverpool’s focus now shifts to integrating their record-breaking duo into the squad. Wirtz and Isak arrive with immense expectations, both in terms of performance and the fees paid for them. Wirtz cost the Reds £116.5 million, while Isak became the most expensive player in British football at £125 million.
As Salah highlighted, while excitement for the future is justified, respect for the past remains equally important. Diaz and Nunez may have moved on, but their efforts in Liverpool colors left a lasting impact on the club’s recent successes.
