Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister must be relishing their decision to join Liverpool, having recently celebrated the team's Premier League title win. Both players had garnered interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, respectively, before deciding to join the Merseyside club.
Arne Slot's squad needed a draw against Tottenham Hotspur to secure Liverpool's 20th league title. On Sunday, Anfield cheered the team on to a resounding 5-1 victory over Spurs, with both Diaz and Mac Allister finding the back of the net.
The duo have featured in all but one of Liverpool's league matches during their title run and have more than earned their Premier League winners' medals. However, their careers could have easily taken a different turn, having drawn attention from rival teams before completing their respective moves to Liverpool.
In January 2022, Liverpool secured Diaz's signature from Porto for a cool £49million. It was widely reported that Liverpool had fast-tracked their summer transfer plans after learning of Spurs' interest in the wide forward. The deal was also said to have been expedited by the Portuguese club's readiness to accept offers below Diaz's €80m release clause.
Diaz enjoyed a successful start at Liverpool, winning both the League Cup and FA Cup in his debut season, despite ending it with a defeat in the 2022 Champions League final. Last season, he added another League Cup winners' medal to his collection and has been instrumental in Slot's title-winning team this term.
Diaz, who was on the brink of signing for Spurs, would have had a significantly less successful stint in north London. Tottenham secured a fourth-place finish in 2022 but failed to qualify for European football the following year.
Under current boss Ange Postecoglou, the club narrowly missed out on a Champions League spot last season and have since plummeted to 16th in the Premier League table, with their remaining aspirations pinned on Europa League success.
In a similar vein, Liverpool had to fend off competition to secure the signature of Mac Allister from Brighton in 2023. Chelsea were among the clubs rumoured to be interested in the midfielder before his move to Anfield was finalised for an initial £35m.
While Mac Allister has lifted trophies in both of his seasons at Liverpool, he could have been part of the significant squad revamp at Chelsea. The west London club ended up sixth last year and are currently battling for a Champions League spot this season after implementing a frenzied transfer strategy in recent years.
Mac Allister was one of four midfielders brought in by Jurgen Klopp in his final year as Liverpool manager. However, the Argentine's father, Carlos Mac Allister, revealed to the Liverpool ECHO that the club's keenness to sign his son and talks with Klopp saw Liverpool prevail over the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City in the race to snap up the Brighton star.
In an interview with the ECHO in October 2023, Mac Allister Snr explained why his son chose Liverpool: "The reason why Alexis went to Liverpool is because they showed so much interest in having him on their team," he said. "They showed a desire to count on him and we wanted Alexis to go to a team where he could be settled for the start of pre-season; move on the first day of the transfer window - all that stuff. This was so important because we wanted him to have a good preparation with the team he decided to sign with.
"Jurgen Klopp was crucial a figure in the transfer. He was talking with Alexis. When he received the phone call from Jurgen it was important in deciding which team he should choose to play for."
Fast forward to the present day, and the Liverpool squad are still savouring their Premier League title win. "Champions! A dream come true. History written with passion, hard work, and heart," Diaz shared on Instagram.
In the meantime, Mac Allister marked another career milestone with a touching post. "I never forget where I come from. From a family that taught me the value of hard work, from dreams born with an Irish surname and a truly Argentine heart," he wrote on social media.. "And today, from Liverpool, it writes an unforgettable chapter.
"When I joined this club, I knew it was a special place. But what I've experienced this year has gone beyond anything I ever imagined."
Mac Allister expressed his delight at winning the title with the Merseyside club, adding: "Today, lifting the Premier League trophy with Liverpool is the dream come true. One that began many years ago, and today becomes reality."