Egyptian star Mohamed Salah has sparked widespread debate on social media after publicly defending his former Liverpool teammates, Uruguayan Darwin Núñez and Colombian Luis Díaz, against a wave of sarcastic comparisons with the club’s new signings, German Florian Wirtz and Swedish Alexander Isak.
Background of the Controversy
The controversy began when a popular fan account on X (formerly Twitter) posted a composite image of the new players Wirtz and Isak in bright colors, alongside faded images of Díaz and Núñez, with the caption: “The biggest upgrade in football history,” implying that the German and Swedish signings represented Liverpool’s “greatest improvement ever.”
Salah considered the post as diminishing the contributions of his former teammates, who helped lead the Reds to the Premier League title last season after a four-year wait. Responding on his official account, Salah wrote: “What if we celebrated great signings without belittling the Premier League champions?”
Controversial Transfers
Liverpool made headlines in this summer’s transfer window by signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million and later securing Alexander Isak from Newcastle in the final hours for £125 million, making him the most expensive signing in Premier League history.
Meanwhile, Luis Díaz moved to Bayern Munich for around £65 million, and Darwin Núñez transferred to Saudi club Al Hilal for £53 million.
Fan Apology
Following Salah’s response, the fan account quickly issued an apology, clarifying that the intention was not to undermine Díaz or Núñez, but merely to highlight the value of the new signings.
Díaz and Núñez: Stats and Achievements
- Luis Díaz: Scored 13 goals and provided 7 assists in the league last season, playing a pivotal role in Liverpool reclaiming the title.
- Darwin Núñez: Despite inconsistent scoring stats, he remained one of the hardest-working and most dedicated players, according to manager Jürgen Klopp and his teammates.
Salah’s stance highlights his respect for the contributions of former teammates while emphasizing that celebrating new signings should not come at the expense of those who helped secure past successes.
