Pep Guardiola blocked a swap deal featuring Manchester City and Liverpool stars last summer, it has been reported.

The transfer window of 2025 was one that will go down in history, with the likes of Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko moving for big money in a summer that saw a huge influx of arrivals into the Premier League.

And, while 2024 saw a more low-key window, there were still some big deals that went through, including Kylian Mbapp’s move to Real Madrid, Victor Osimhen joining Galatasaray and Julian Alvarez swapping Manchester City for Atletico Madrid.

It now, however, has emerged that Alvarez reportedly nearly stayed in England in a deal that would have seen him join one of City’s biggest rivals in Liverpool.

Reports regularly did the rounds in 2024 that Alvarez was of interest to Liverpool when the Reds were looking to strengthen their front line after Arne Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp as manager.

And, according to The Telegraph, it was a move that nearly happened, with Luis Diaz going in the opposite direction – until Guardiola stopped it from happening.

Pep Guardiola blocked a sensational swap deal involving Manchester City and Liverpool stars in 2024, it has been reported
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Pep Guardiola blocked a sensational swap deal involving Manchester City and Liverpool stars in 2024, it has been reported

The deal could have seen Julian Alvarez join the Reds and Luis Diaz head in the other direction
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Alvarez went to Atleico Madrid last summer, while Diaz joined Bayern Munich this year
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The deal could have seen Julian Alvarez join the Reds and Luis Diaz head in the other direction

In was a summer in which both Alvarez and Diaz had uncertain futures, with the former eventually leaving for Madrid in a deal that would cost Diego Simeone’s side £81million.

Diaz, meanwhile, stayed at Liverpool for another year before departing for Bayern Munich for £65.5m.

He said goodbye to his team-mates three and a half years after he made the move to the Premier League from Porto. Diaz made 148 appearances during his time at Anfield, scoring 41 goals.

He is thought to have first told Liverpool bosses of his desire to leave last summer, but the club held firm.

They later made two separate attempts to agree a contract extension with the left winger, but failed to convince Diaz due to a gap between offers and demands.

Bayern initially advanced with an offer worth around £58.5m which was rebuffed, before Liverpool accepted the German champions’ second offer of £65.5m including add-ons.

Alvarez, meanwhile, was Atletico’s top scorer in his first year in Spain, netting 29 times in all competitions.