Edwards to gift Liverpool ‘extraordinary’ signing as final act in director role

Transfer specialist Michael Edwards will reportedly gift Liverpool an ‘extraordinary’ star in his final act as the club’s sporting director.

The 42-year-old has a knack for completing major deals in Liverpool’s favour. He was instrumental in the sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for £142m back in January 2018.

That transfer allowed the Reds to bring in defensive stalwarts Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, catapulting them to European and domestic success.

Edwards has also been key to the arrivals of Liverpool forwards Mo Salah and Sadio Mane. The pair have gone on to become two of the best goalscorers in the world.

Edwards will leave his role at Anfield come the end of the campaign. But he is aiming to complete a transfer masterstroke before then.

Sport Witness, citing reports in the Spanish press, write that the Englishman is keen to sign Luis Diaz from Porto.

The left winger has been in ‘extraordinary’ form this season, netting 11 goals in 14 league appearances. Diaz was also on the scoresheet in Porto’s two Champions League group games against AC Milan.

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The star, who represents Columbia on the international stage, did not manage to score against Liverpool as Porto crashed out of the competition.

Their failure to reach the knockout stage could have big implications for Diaz’s future. It means Liverpool can ‘take advantage’ of the situation by offering the ace a shot at Champions League glory.

Edwards will be integral to the negotiations, which look set to begin in January. He is plotting ‘one last smart move’ before exiting Merseyside, and Diaz is his top target.

Jurgen Klopp’s side will reportedly have to pay between £42-68m for his signature. However, Edwards is exceptional at getting players for less than their bloated transfer value.

Ranieri weighs in on Liverpool UCL tie

Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri has given his opinion on Liverpool’s round of 16 tie in the UCL.

They face Italian giants Inter, after initially being given Red Bull Salzburg in the voided draw.

Watford boss Ranieri said: “It will be a nice game and the result is not obvious.

“Liverpool are really strong, but you can see [Simone] Inzaghi’s hands at Inter. He has inherited a winning team from [Antonio] Conte and it was legitimate to have some doubts after Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi’s sales, but Inter go really fast now.

“First of all, they [Inter] must face both games with determination and without inferiority complex. Never take anything for granted in football.

“Second, they must limit errors. Mistakes can be crucial in Champions League, especially against big clubs. There are moments on the pitch when you have positive or negative feelings, so you have to listen to them and act accordingly.”

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