Revealed: Liverpool eyed sensational swap deal with Man City last summer before £82m deal was sealed

Liverpool made an audacious offer to swap Luis Diaz for Julian Alvarez last summer, only for the idea to be quickly rejected by Manchester City.

  • floated idea of swap
  • Diaz wanted to join City in 2024
  • Alvaraz blocked from going the other way

Revealed: Liverpool eyed sensational swap deal with Man City last summer before £82m deal was sealedRevealed: Liverpool eyed sensational swap deal with Man City last summer before £82m deal was sealedRevealed: Liverpool eyed sensational swap deal with Man City last summer before £82m deal was sealed

In a sensational report from The Telegraph, Diaz, 28, is believed to have told Liverpool he wished to join City after being made aware of their interest in the summer of 2024. And the report states that the Reds then decided to enquire about the possibility of Alvarez, 25, heading in the opposite direction in what would have been one of the biggest swap deals in history.

However the report adds that City were quick to reject Liverpool’s approach, with Pep Guardiola’s side unenthusiastic about the idea of Alvarez joining a rival. The international instead moved to La Liga side in an £82 million (€95m/$111.3m) deal last summer, scoring 29 goals in 57 games in all competitions for Diego Simeone’s men.

Diaz has since left Liverpool after securing a £65.5 million (€75m/$88m) move to in July. The international has made a fantastic start to life in , recording two goals and two assists apiece to help the German champions win their opening two games in 2025-26.

Liverpool will return to Premier League action when they take on newly-promoted Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday. Meanwhile City are preparing to entertain rivals Manchester in the first Manchester of the new season on the same day.