Jurgen Klopp has shared the first impression that Luis Diaz made on Liverpool scouts.
The boss was speaking to BBC Sport after Diaz had scored his second goal for the The Reds against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. Asked about the impact of Diaz to the team, Klopp detailed the thought process behind signing him in January.
“We scouted him, we knew what he’s doing naturally and we thought that fits pretty well into what we want from an offensive player or winger,” said Klopp.
“That’s why it was not so complicated for him, but what he makes of it is special.”
Liverpool’s scouts have got it spot on yet again. The Colombian couldn’t have been a more natural fit for Klopp’s front three.
Signing a person, as well as a player
Given all the data and analysis that goes into making signings in 2022, it’s easier than ever to find players to fit a tactical style of play.
But that doesn’t mean it’s fool proof. You only have to look at the business continually done by clubs such as Manchester United to see that it’s much harder than it looks.
Liverpool, however, make it look incredibly easy. This is even more impressive when you consider that Klopp is very selective in the type of players that he signs.
The Reds have a very specific style of play. The pool of players who could slot straight in, as Diaz has done, is pretty small.
But it gets even smaller when you factor in that Jurgen will sign a player as much based on talent as on personality.
If the manager doesn’t think they will fit into the group, he won’t bring them in.
In that sense, Klopp has no qualms about Diaz.
“We have no groups really in the team but we have a couple of boys who speak Spanish and Portuguese, both languages Luis speaks pretty well,” Klopp said during the same interview with BBC Sport.
“They take him under their wings, so the boy settled as quick as the player and that’s very helpful.”
Quality and quantity in equal measure
It’s testament to the atmosphere in the group that Diaz has been able to settle in virtually instantly. There could have been jealously and rivalry in other teams.
But Klopp has tailor-picked players who, as well as being top players, are top professionals and seemingly top people too.
Some may put Liverpool’s success rate in the transfer market down to luck. In that sense it may seem inevitable that it will run out at some stage.
But if The Reds continue to value player personality at the same level as player performance, there’s no reason that they can’t keep pulling rabbits out of the hat.
Some fans get frustrated with Liverpool’s less prolific approach to the market. But Klopp and the recruitment team tend to work on a sentiment of ‘quality over quantity’.
With Diaz on board and tearing things up, The Reds’ excellence in the window means that Klopp’s squad now has both.
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