Liverpool find what was missing after Luis Diaz exit but one major transfer remains

As Liverpool toiled throughout a disappointing season last year, supporters could be forgiven for wistfully looking in the direction of one former Red. Luis Diaz was sold to Bayern Munich in a £65.5m deal after failing to agree a new contract at Anfield.

With the Colombian wanting to move on, Liverpool felt the offer was one that was too good to refuse for a then 28-year-old who had two years left to run on his existing deal.

But as Diaz went on to enjoy the season of his life in Bavaria, returning a career-best 26 goals and 23 assists as Bayern won a Bundesliga and cup double, it soon became clear that something was lacking at Anfield.

The Reds underwent a £450m spending spree, breaking their own transfer record twice to sign Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, while also signing Hugo Ekitike to further bolster their attack. But it soon became clear that their new-look frontline perhaps lacked that explosive acceleration that helped make Diaz - and fellow departee Darwin Nunez - so deadly.

But fast forward a year and it would appear that Liverpool have acted to restore such an attribute. Step forward, Victor Munoz.

Admittedly, the arrival of the Spaniard was greeted with more curiosity than fanfare when it emerged that the Reds had stolen a march on Newcastle United to snap up the winger from Osasuna after activating his £34.5m release clause.

Supporters have then had to bide their time to catch a first glimpse of new head coach Andoni Iraola’s first signing. Away with Spain at the World Cup, he was an unused squad player as they finished the summer as world champions, with such exploits ensuring a later start to pre-season for the 23-year-old.

But after cutting short his holiday to get underway at his new club, the former Real Madrid youngster is eager to impress.

An unofficial debut as a substitute against Monaco followed last weekend and was an encouraging first glimpse. But his showing in the behind doors meeting with Como will have done more than enough to get supporters off their seats.

Pace to burn, trickery and a final ball too! He was a constant thorn to the Serie A outfit as he terrorised their defence throughout his 46 minutes on the pitch.

He could have had an assist within the opening minutes after superb wing-play down the left. Receiving the ball on the flank, he turned the full-back inside out as he ran down the line before crossing deep to Trey Nyoni, only for the midfielder to head mercifully wide.

Munoz was wonderfully unpredictable as Como struggled to work out which way he would go. Cutting back and stopping before sprinting away again, he will be any full-back’s nightmare.

Much like with Rio Ngumoha, every time he received the ball, you were left wilfully waiting for something exciting to happen. He rarely disappointed.

Another cross, this time from deeper, created Liverpool’s first shot on target, only for Federico Chiesa’s glancing header to be kept out at the near post.

One solo-run across half the length of the pitch, beating two defenders in the process, ended with Munoz having a strike deflected into the side-netting.

Yet as exciting as the winger’s performance was, he is not the marquee new arrival supporters have been waiting for since it first emerged Mohamed Salah would be leaving the club.

The fact Iraola elected for Munoz to start this behind closed doors against Como rather than the one at Anfield told its own story. As things stand, it would seem that Cody Gakpo and Ngumoha will start the season as the Reds’ starting widemen.

Yes, he is playing catch-up in new surroundings. But rather than being thrown in at the deep end for a Premier League debut against Newcastle of all sides next weekend, it would appear his unleashing into English football will prove to be slightly more gradual.

And then there is Liverpool’s ongoing pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola. The France international did not appear too enthused when celebrating the Parisians’ European Super Cup win over Aston Villa after being left as an unused substitute.

Included in the travelling squad for PSG’s Trophee des Champions clash with Lens, he is not out of the door yet. But with Mika Godts looking increasingly likely to join Maghnes Akliouche and Ferran Torres as new arrivals at the Parc des Princes, Barcola’s PSG exit door is very much open.

Luis Enrique would seemingly hint that a move could be on the cards for Barcola ahead of facing Lens.

“We are a very young, very ambitious team,” he said at his pre-match press conference. “It is important for us to make changes and look for players who enjoy playing our way and who love playing for PSG.

“That is very clear to us. When a player doesn’t want to come here, or doesn’t have a smile on their face about being here, it is better to find another solution.”

All parties will hope a solution can be found swiftly as talks for Barcola continue between PSG and Liverpool bosses.

Only time will tell if he is to find himself vying with Munoz for starting opportunities in the weeks and months ahead.

But as exciting as Munoz’s showing was against Como, providing exactly what the Reds were lacking last season, it would be no surprise if a bigger piece of the Liverpool puzzle is still waiting to fall into place.

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