Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick has claimed the club’s board blocked three January transfers - including one for Luis Diaz.
Rangnick has opened up on how he informed the United board of the need to sign a striker before the transfer deadline, but was told by the club’s hierarchy it was not possible to do a deal.
As well as identifying Diaz as a possible target, the German has also named Julian Alvarez and Dusan Vlahovic as two other players he would have liked to sign. Rangnick has claimed the reason behind his request was due to Anthony Martial being on loan at Sevilla, Mason Greenwood being suspended and Edinson Cavani unreliable, fitness-wise.
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“We lost three strikers, long-term,” Rangnick said. “We should have tried to sign a player in the 48 hours we had, since we knew Mason wouldn’t be available and Anthony had already left on loan.
“We were also aware Edinson might not be available for eight out of 10 games, but we didn’t do it. There were a few: Diaz, who is now at Liverpool; Alvarez, who will be at Manchester City in the summer; and Vlahovic, who at the time was still with Fiorentina.
“The answer was 'no' and that was it. I spoke to the board and told them 'shouldn’t we at least speak and analyse and find if we can at least get a player, on loan or a permanent deal?'
"In the end the answer was 'no'. Maybe they didn’t want to do any winter business. Maybe we should have at least discussed it internally, because it might be necessary and important. It would have been short notice anyway but still, 48 hours is 48 hours. It might have been at least worth a try. But we didn’t and it wasn't done.”
The Reds swooped to secure the signature of Diaz at the end of January after he was the subject of a bid from Tottenham Hotspur in the final days of the winter transfer window. The 25-year-old signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with Liverpool and the fee for him could rise to as much as £49m if potential add-ons are triggered during his time at Anfield.
And since his signing, the Colombian has impressed in Jurgen Klopp’s side, fitting into the Reds' front three with ease. Since his arrival, the former Porto man has scored four goals and claimed three assists in 20 appearances for Liverpool.
