Joe Cole has named one Liverpool player who he believes is capable of going on to become an ‘all-time’ great at Anfield.
The 42-year-old was speaking after the Reds cruised to a 4-0 win over LASK in the Europa League at Anfield on Thursday night, with Luis Diaz’s 12th-minute goal setting them on their way.
The former LFC winger was raving about the Colombian’s performance not just last night, but ever since he came to the club from FC Porto nearly two years ago.
Speaking on TNT Sports, Cole said of the 26-year-old: “He’s a fantastic player, wonderful signing for the club, and I think he’ll go on to be an all-time player at Liverpool as well if he carries on the way he’s going. I think he can be that good.”
Following his diving header last night, Diaz’s Liverpool tally now stands at 16 goals in 63 appearances (Transfermarkt).
It’s not an eye-watering return from the Colombian, but those numbers alone don’t take into account the sheer energy that he brings to the team, and the headaches that he causes to opposition defenders with his relentless work rate.
His form this season is all the more remarkable in the context of the harrowing ordeal of his parents’ kidnapping in their homeland, with his father held captive for almost two weeks before being freed in early November.
In truth, Diaz hasn’t yet had a full campaign at Liverpool as such, having joined midway through 2021/22 and missed six months of last term due to a serious knee injury.
However, there are strong signs that 2023/24 might be the one in which the 26-year-old truly establishes himself as an integral presence at Anfield, and maybe going on to fulfil Cole’s lofty prediction of becoming an ‘all-time’ great on Merseyside.
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