Luis Diaz: Arne Slot sends clear message as Liverpool manager explains forward's absence

Arne Slot confirmed that Luis Diaz was left out of Liverpool’s pre-season friendly with AC Milan because of the ongoing transfer speculation surrounding the Colombian.

The forward wants to leave Anfield this summer amid interest from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, and he was omitted completely from Slot’s squad for the Reds’ 4-2 defeat to Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday.

The former Porto winger was not the only high-profile absentee from the Premier League champions’ squad, with Darwin Nunez, who has also been linked with a move away from Merseyside, also not involved in any capacity.

“He’s training really well with us,” Slot said of Diaz. “But we’ve decided, for now, not to play him yet.

“I’m used to talking to most of my players on a regular basis, like I said, Lucho is training really well and we’ve decided he’s not playing at the moment. I cannot comment much more about that.”

However, Slot confirmed that Nunez was not missing due to swirling transfer rumours, but instead because of a minor injury.

“In Darwin’s situation, he’s also trained really well and played a few good games for us, but he was injured so we didn’t want to take a risk with him as well,” Slot said of the Uruguayan.

Joe Gomez, the centre-back, flew back to England with his own injury earlier on Saturday, leaving Liverpool with just two recognised central defenders for their game with Milan.

Natural central midfielder Ryan Gravenberch filled in alongside his captain and compatriot Virgil van Dijk in the first half, before Ibrahima Konate and Kostas Tsimikas formed a makeshift pairing in the second period, when the Reds found themselves 3-1 down going into stoppage time.

Slot shrugged off any kind of “concern” about his lack of depth in the position, but emphasised that his side had “yet” to replace the departed Jarrell Quansah, who joined Bayer Leverkusen.

"I don’t think we have a concern at centre-back,” Slot continued.

“Ryan showed he can play that position, he did it as well although we favour him as a No 6. Wataru Endo can play there. So we have enough options but it is true that Jarell Quansah left and we haven’t replaced him yet."

Endo, who Slot namechecked as able to play at the heart of defence, was also missing from the matchday squad against Milan, although he was ruled out with illness.