If a recent report from Senegalese outlet DSports is believed to be true, Liverpool have shown interest in Slavia Prague left fullback El Hadji Malick Diouf ahead of a potential winter swoop. Crystal Palace were also keen on the 20-year-old, but their £12.5m bid was rejected by the Czech side, Standard Sport understands.
Despite a Premier League draw against Manchester United, followed by a defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the League Cup semifinal, Liverpool are still going strong in all competitions midway through the campaign. While they have quality across the pitch, the left-back area is lacking consistency primarily for Andrew Robertson’s decline and Kostas Tsimikas’ form and fitness concerns.
Diouf progressed through the ranks of Academie Mawade Wade in Senegal before plying his trade to Tromsø in Norway following a successful trial. He went on to make 21 appearances for the Eliteserien side and his flair down the flank impressed Slavia enough to splash €2.5m in January 2024. The youngster has so far fired in 8 goals and laid on 3 more in 37 appearances [stats via Transfermarket] for the Red and Whites, and his emergence could earn them almost 10 times the profit given the asking fee set as €25m.
Why Liverpool Must Bolster Them Down The Left
Robertson, in his thirties, is no longer the same player who used to run riot from the left. The Scotsman is struggling with tracking back, man-marking and timely tackles. He has often been late with his challenges thus costing the Reds free-kicks and spot-kicks in recent games.
Tsimikas was brought in to challenge and cover the Tartan Army skipper, however, the Greece international has hardly settled in despite being in Merseyside since the summer of 2020. He has only crossed the 100-appearance mark and is yet to find the net in four-and-a-half years. While his crosses and set-pieces have been impactful, the defensive vulnerability of his game underlines the necessity of reinforcements.
Liverpool have been patient with their transfer policy as they would rather wait for the right player over panic buys. This has backfired at times, particularly when the manager is forced to rely on makeshift, however, the club have mostly benefitted from this approach considering their budget constraints compared to the league’s ‘big six’ and even mid-table outfits.
The Reds have two talented left-backs Owen Beck and Calum Scanlon who are enjoying loan stints in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers and Millwall. The academy duo have a very high ceiling, but the lack of senior experience could be a stumbling block in terms of replacing a player of Robertson’s stature immediately.
Diouf, who is also impressing in the Europa League with his marauding runs, pace, power and attacking prowess, could slot in under Arne Slot initially as Robertson’s understudy before securing a regular role from next season onwards. It remains to be seen though whether Liverpool splash the cash for the Senegal international or play ‘hardball’ with Slavia Prague to reduce the demanded figure.
