the rumours no longer whispers in liverpool they were loud everyone talking about it in the pubs where fans sat drinking talking about the team worrying about the future they knew something big was coming even in the boardroom where the owners stared at numbers on screens argued about budgets the coaches talked quietly in corners slot listening careful trying not to panic
luis diaz he finally said it he wanted to leave he wanted new challenge he didn’t care who knew it anymore the moment he said it out loud it was like ripping a bandage off a wound the pain real the fear real the hope that he would stay all gone
people had seen it coming you could see it in how he walked off the pitch head down when subbed you could see it in training turning away from the new coach arms folded angry you could see it when he didn’t smile after scoring no joy just duty some said it was family problems personal things others said he just fell out of love with the club but none of that mattered anymore because he wanted out and bayern munich they were right there waiting with open arms ready to give him everything he wanted
bayern with their big stadium all their trophies their money their promise of easy titles they made a move fast sent liverpool an offer 59 million pounds they thought it would be enough
but it wasn’t liverpool rejected it immediately the owners didn’t even blink they just said no they weren’t going to be bullied they weren’t going to be a selling club again not like when barcelona came for coutinho not like real madrid with alonso not anymore
but everyone knew the truth liverpool were going to have to sell him you can’t keep someone who doesn’t want to stay
so they set a price 86 million pounds they said pay that or don’t even bother calling again bayern weren’t scared they knew liverpool had to sell eventually they were already planning a second bid but liverpool they were planning too
because they knew they had to replace diaz you don’t just let someone like that walk out and hope for the best you have to plan you have to dream big and they were dreaming very big wanted vinicius junior when the spanish papers leaked it the world laughed defensa central they wrote that liverpool were preparing a bid 87 million pounds fixed 26 million in add-ons over 113 million total it sounded crazy
but this is liverpool they do crazy sometimes they bought alisson for world record they bought van dijk for world record they spent when they had to vinicius was no ordinary player he was the star of real madrid he was the man who danced on defenders in the champions league final he was the player ronaldo nazario called the best in the world
liverpool fans divided immediately some said it was ridiculous vinicius would never leave madrid he loved them too much he was their king others said imagine him at anfield imagine the goals the celebrations the defenders left on the floor but madrid they weren’t just going to let him walk out they loved him too he was in contract talks sure but they were offering him crazy money 26 million pounds a season he wanted even more
there was tension in madrid the fans chanting his name at every game the board trying to figure out how to balance the books paying big wages to everyone while planning for the future with endrick the new brazilian wonderkid but no matter what the papers said vinicius kept saying he wanted to stay in madrid he loved the city the club the fans he wasn’t leaving
so liverpool fans had to ask themselves was this real or just a dream, but football is about dreams so they kept dreaming they kept arguing online on forums in pubs at work some said sell diaz quick take the money buy rodrygo instead he was the other brazilian at madrid younger maybe cheaper and he had a problem too he wasn’t playing under xabi alonso
xabi had new ideas he trusted vinicius bellingham he even tried new formations but rodrygo he didn’t fit he didn’t start five straight games he didn’t even come off the bench in the club world cup semi final against psg it was humiliating for a player that good
everyone knew what that meant rodrygo was for sale even if madrid wouldn’t say it out loud and liverpool knew it too they watched every game they studied every stat they talked to his agent quietly carefully
but they weren’t the only ones arsenal were watching too arteta wanted him badly arsenal wanted to win the league after finishing second again they needed more firepower they had money to burn
so liverpool knew they had to move fast if they wanted rodrygo but they couldn’t do anything until diaz was sold that was the problem everything depended on bayern making the right offer and bayern they were patient they didn’t want to overpay they knew liverpool were stuck they had all the power in negotiations they just had to wait until liverpool were desperate enough
but nothing was real yet it was just talk rumours agents leaking stories to get better deals journalists writing anything to get clicks the real work was quiet behind the scenes agents making calls sporting directors meeting in hotel lobbies lawyers preparing contracts just in case scouts watching hours of video analytics teams running endless simulations who would fit best vinicius with his world class dribbling but sky high wages or rodrygo with his youth his versatility his hunger to prove himself
the owners argued too some wanted to go all in break the wage structure show the world liverpool were still a super club others said no stick to the plan no more madness keep the books balanced arne slot the new coach he tried to stay calm but he was worried he needed to know his squad he needed to plan pre-season he needed clarity but he had none
diaz trained quietly head down barely speaking to anyone everyone knew he was gone just a matter of when bayern kept working on their second bid they wanted diaz as their statement signing new manager new ideas they needed a star. madrid they kept winning vinicius kept scoring he was unstoppable every goal the bernabeu sang his name even louder it was like they were daring liverpool to try to take him
but liverpool watched carefully they saw the contract talks stalling they saw the wage demands they thought maybe just maybe there was a chance.if they could sell diaz for 86 million they could throw everything at vinicius they could test madrid’s resolve and if that failed they would pivot to rodrygo move fast before arsenal could steal him
fans went mad with speculation twitter facebook whatsapp groups filled with arguments insults jokes dreams. the club tried to keep it quiet but you can’t hide this stuff forever not when the whole world is watching not when fans demand answers and so the summer turned into a slow-motion battle of wills every side waiting the perfect moment to strike
journalists circled like sharks they loved it every day another exclusive another leak another quote from a friend of a friend of the agent of the player but behind all the noise there was only one truth liverpool needed to act they couldn’t go into the new season weaker they couldn’t let city run away with the title again they couldn’t watch arsenal strengthen while doing nothing
they needed to sell diaz for the right price they needed to buy someone to replace him someone who could make the fans believe again someone who would make rivals scared again because salah was aging jota was brilliant but fragile gakpo still a mystery nunez chaos itself a player who could miss five sitters and then score a worldie in the same game
liverpool needed certainty they needed quality they needed a star the clock kept ticking pre-season getting closer the first game looming fans getting angrier owners getting more nervous slot trying not to show the stress but everyone feeling it because football is brutal it doesn’t wait it doesn’t care about your plans your dreams your spreadsheets if you don’t act you get left behind
so the plan remained on the table clear but riskysell diaz get the money test madrid for vinicius offer them so much they can’t say no if that fails move immediately for rodrygo don’t let arsenal win the racebut until diaz was gone everything was frozen and bayern they were happy to wait they knew they would get their man eventually they just had to push the right buttons play the right game they had the money they had the prestige they had the plan
liverpool had to hope hope that bayern would pay up soon hope that madrid would listen hope that vinicius would at least think about it hope that rodrygo would choose them over arsenal because in the end that’s all football ever is hope dreams fears a million what ifs swirling around until someone signs the paper so liverpool fans waited they hit refresh on their phones over and over they read every rumour argued over every tweet analysed every photo from training looking for clue
slot talking to the sporting director must mean big move comingvinicius ignoring contract question in interview maybe he’s open to leaving rodrygo liking a post about liverpool on instagram clear sign he’s coming, it was madness but it was football and through it all the club worked quietly carefully deliberately no panic but no time to waste
because when the moment came when bayern sent that final bid when the deal was agreed when diaz got on that plane to munich it would start a chain reaction no one could stop, contracts would be signed agents would collect their fees planes would be boarded medicals would be scheduled shirts would be printed photos would be taken press conferences would be held fans would cheer or cry
because this wasn’t just about replacing one player it was about defining an era it was about proving liverpool were still liverpool a club that fights for the biggest trophies that buys the biggest players that makes the biggest statements
and until that day came until the ink was dry and the cameras flashed and the deal was official all they could do was wait and hope
hope that their plan would work hope that their dreams would come true hope that they could turn one man’s desire to leave into the beginning of something new something better something that would make them champions again because that’s all football is hope and right now liverpool needed it more than ever
