One of Liverpool’s defensive midfield targets was a £5m Uruguayan beast

Liverpool were in discussions to sign an exciting new defensive midfielder over the summer, but a fresh report has confirmed that he’s now joined another club.

What’s the latest transfer news at Liverpool?

The Anfield outfit announced this week that Ben Doak has signed a new long-term contract with the club, and Trent Alexander-Arnold could soon be set to follow in his footsteps by committing his future having made a breakthrough in talks over an in-house agreement.

Outside of Merseyside, Jurgen Klopp has been heavily linked with moves for West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen and Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie, but whilst club chiefs are focusing on targets for next year, an update has emerged regarding a pursuit from before the window closed on September 1st.

Over in Qatar, Fabricio Diaz has recently been unveiled as an Al-Gharafa player having completed his switch from Liverpool Montevideo just last week, though he is still to make his first appearance for his new side.

The Uruguay youth international, who is naturally a defensive midfielder, put pen to paper on a five-year deal with Pedro Martins’ outfit so that isn’t set to expire until 2028, but before choosing his destination, the 20-year-old could have been on his way to the Premier League.

Are Liverpool signing Fabricio Diaz?

Taking to X, Graeme Bailey revealed that Liverpool were one of the clubs to have considered a move for Diaz, but the tough tackling wonderkid eventually set his heart on Qatar. He wrote:

“Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd, Brighton and Brentford amongst sides who looked at Uruguay’s Fabricio Diaz prior to his surprise move to Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa. Barcelona were also keen on the 20-year-old midfielder.”

Expanding in his column for 90min, the reporter confirmed that FSG even “held talks” with their target’s former side, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

How good is Fabricio Diaz?

According to members of the media, Diaz is an “anchorman” for the way that he holds everything together in the centre of the park, and for a player who is valued at just €6m (£5m) by Transfermarkt, he could be a real future bargain for Klopp and Liverpool if they decide to make a move down the line.

The La Paz native posted 12 goal contributions (seven assists and five goals) in 122 appearances for Montevideo which shows how much he loves to get involved with the action in the final third, but it’s not just his high standard of performances at club level that would have caught the eye of the boss over the summer.

He was one of the standout performers that helped his country win the U20s World Cup earlier this year, and having also captained his nation at youth level, this represents the natural leadership qualities that he possesses, potentially making him a heir to the recently departed Jordan Henderson.

Finally, Diaz has the ability to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role sitting just in front of the defensive backline so he provides welcome versatility, making him a target that simply has to be the subject of another approach in the future despite the board’s failed initial attempt.