FSG Had 'No Way Back' After Liverpool Considered Huge Luis Diaz Wage Shift

Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), reached a point of no return with fans after pushing a controversial wage decision involving star winger Luis Diaz. In the summer of 2025, as defending Premier League champions, Liverpool faced financial pressures that led FSG to override manager Arne Slot's wishes and sell Diaz to Bayern Munich. Despite Slot's reluctance, the decision was driven by the need to balance the books amid heavy spending on new signings like Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, and Milos Kerkez.^[1]

The article highlights how this move, combined with Trent Alexander-Arnold's departure to Real Madrid, has left Liverpool struggling in sixth place, out of the title race and risking Champions League qualification. Alexander-Arnold rejected contract offers to join Madrid early for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, paying a fee to exit his deal prematurely.^[1] Critics like Gabriel Agbonlahor argue Liverpool desperately misses both players' quality, exacerbating a dismal season marked by further tragedies and issues, including the tragic death of Diogo Jota in July and Mohamed Salah's ongoing contract troubles.^[1][2]

FSG's "no way back" stems from considering a massive wage shift for Diaz—potentially inflating his salary to retain him amid interest from elite clubs—but ultimately opting for sale to fund squad rebuilds. This pragmatic, financially conservative approach has fueled fan frustration, with some calling FSG "simply not for Liverpool Football Club," demanding a mentality shift or new ownership to reclaim elite status.^[6] Despite backing Slot amid injuries like Wataru Endo's, the club's set-piece woes were addressed by sacking coach Aaron Briggs, yielding marginal gains.^[2][4][5]

Now, with Slot facing sack pressure and rumors of Salah's exit talks plus interest in AC Milan players, FSG's multi-club ambitions (e.g., informal Valencia talks) underscore their broader strategy, but Anfield faithful see the Diaz saga as the breaking point.^[1][3] Liverpool eyes recovery, but trust in FSG hangs by a thread.

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