Gerrard Tempted by Bayern Duo as Liverpool Struggles Persist

Steven Gerrard has made his feelings clear about Liverpool's attacking options, declaring he would fancy both Luis Diaz and Michael Olise at Anfield in a combined deal worth £165.5m.

The former Reds captain harbours no regrets about Diaz's departure last summer, when Liverpool accepted a £65.5m offer from Bayern Munich. Yet with Arne Slot's side languishing fifth in the Premier League after splashing over £400m on reinforcements, Gerrard reckons the Colombian winger's return could prove transformative.

Cody Gakpo's underwhelming left-wing displays and Mohamed Salah's dip in form have left Liverpool searching for answers. Gerrard's solution? Reunite with Diaz and prise Olise—valued at over £100m by the Bavarians—from the Allianz Arena as Salah's successor.

Speaking during Bayern's 2-1 Champions League triumph over Real Madrid on Tuesday, Gerrard dissected Olise's attributes with forensic precision. The winger's two-footed threat poses a conundrum for defenders accustomed to forcing attackers onto their weaker flank.

"The problem with him is he can go both ways, his right foot is just as strong as his left," Gerrard explained on TNT Sports. "You really want to show him on his right foot because that's probably his weaker side, but you see some of the assists he's getting, some of the finishes with his right foot. If you leave him in one-versus-one situations, you are in major trouble."

Pressed on whether he'd welcome Olise to Merseyside, Gerrard delivered a characteristically candid response: "All day long. But the problem is, why would he leave Bayern? A big club, challenging for the big honours, and they are probably the strongest Bayern Munich team we have seen for a while. He is about to take the World Cup by storm come the summer. He looks like a really happy kid, settled, to me, I don't think he's going anywhere."

Yet sentiment won out over pragmatism. "But, yes, would I love him at Liverpool. And you know what, I wouldn't mind Diaz back as well. I'm missing him, I'm missing him."

Jamie Carragher, however, has defended Liverpool's summer business. The former defender insists the club executed a shrewd transaction despite palpable regret among supporters watching Diaz flourish in Bavaria.

Carragher outlined the financial logic: Liverpool acquired Diaz for £40m four years ago and faced a fresh contract negotiation with a player no longer on modest wages. Bayern, desperate after missing out on Florian Wirtz and losing Jamal Musiala to injury during the Club World Cup, capitulated to £70m for the 28-year-old.

"No. They miss him as a player, 100 per cent, there's no doubt, and that was always going to be the case," Carragher said on CBS Sports. "But sometimes you get presented deals as a club and at the time that was a good deal for Liverpool. Liverpool would have had him until his early 30s, which is probably not what they wanted ideally."

Carragher acknowledged Diaz remains a genuinely accomplished operator—evidenced by his performances for both Liverpool and Bayern—yet stopped short of condemning the Reds' decision-making. "I wouldn't criticise the club for it," he concluded.