Arne Slot inspects the pitch prior to the Pre-Season Friendly between Liverpool FC and AC Milan at Kai Tak Sports Park on July 26, 2025(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez are two of the players left out of the Liverpool squad that meets AC Milan in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.
Reds boss Arne Slot has named a 22-man squad for the game against the Serie A giants and Diaz and Nunez are two who have been omitted as Florian Wirtz starts and Hugo Ekitike, who joined up with his new team-mates on Thursday, also misses out.
Nunez has been linked with a move to Napoli in recent weeks while there is also believed to be interest from the Saudi Pro League, while Luis Diaz is the subject of talks between the Reds and Bayern Munich, who are said to be preparing a second offer of over £60m for the Colombia international.
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Liverpool are reluctant to sell Diaz but having already rebuffed an advance from Barcelona in June, Bundesliga giants Bayern have stepped up their interest in recent days and had a bid shut of £60m rejected earlier this month before talks resumed this week.
It’s thought Diaz is keen to explore his options after it was made clear a new contract on improved terms would not be forthcoming for the 28-year-old, whose deal runs until 2027.
Neither forward is involved as Arne Slot names a front three of Mohamed Salah, Wirtz and teenage winger Rio Ngumoha, who has caught the eye so far during the summer schedule.
Slot is poised to offer an update on the absence of both Nunez and Diaz after the game in Hong Kong, which concludes the first leg of their tour of Asia, with a trip to Japan up next.
Wataru Endo, Joe Gomez and Alexis Mac Allister are also absent alongside young goalkeepers Armin Pecsi and Kornel Misciur.
Gomez has been sent back to Merseyside after suffering a minor Achilles injury.
It was deemed that if he was not fit to feature in Asia then it was best to fly the defender back home to continue his treatment at the AXA Training Centre. It leaves Liverpool with just two senior centre-backs for the remainder of the tour.
Mac Allister is back in training and should be cleared to play in Japan if there are no adverse effects.
It’s thought that midfielder Ryan Gravenberch will start alongside captain Virgil van Dijk at centre-back with Lucas Stephenson starting the game on the right and Andy Robertson on the left.
Tyler Morton and Dominik Szoboszlai will patrol the midfield with Harvey Elliott slightly ahead of the duo.
Liverpool: Alisson; Stephenson, Van Dijk, Gravenberch, Robertson; Morton, Szoboszlai; Salah, Elliott, Ngumoha; Wirtz.
Subs: Woodman, Mamardashvili, Konate, Jones, Gakpo, Tsimikas, Doak, Kerkez, Frimpong, Bradley, Nyoni.
