Liverpool Transfer News: Failed Abou Diaby Offer Revealed, Latest Allan Rumours

Liverpool failed in their attempt to sign former Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby on a pay-as-you-play contract, according to French publication L'Equipe (h/t Jamie Anderson of the Daily Star).

The injury-prone Frenchman has since opted to return home with a switch to Marcelo Bielsa's Marseille, reported Sky Sports:

However, the 29-year-old could have remained in England with a switch to Anfield, a team who can be expected to challenge Arsenal for a place in the Champions League next season. OptaJoe highlighted the risk Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers would have undertaken if Diaby had headed to Merseyside:

"

16 - Abou Diaby made just 16 league appearances for Arsenal in his final four seasons at the club. Departing.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 28, 2015"

B/R UK pinpointed Diaby's fitness problems when it emerged West Bromwich Albion were chasing his signature:

Interest in the player underlines Diaby's untapped quality. He is a long-striding powerhouse, someone who can contribute at both ends of the pitch when fit. He scored six goals and provided three assists while also averaging 2.7 tackles per game for the Gunners in 2009-10, his best spell for the north London club, as recorded by WhoScored.com.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger recently named Diaby "the biggest regret of my career," reported Anderson. "I think he had great potential and he could only show that at certain periods of time," said Wenger. "I'm a really big fan of Abou Diaby and I really hope from the bottom of my heart that he can end his career without any more injury concerns."

MANAN VATSYAYANA/Getty Images

Rodgers has strengthened his midfield with the addition of James Milner this summer, a player who is likely to work alongside captain Jordan Henderson in Liverpool's centre. Emre Can, Joe Allen or Lucas Leiva will make up the midfield three, a position Diaby could have also strengthened with his physical nature and willingness to move forward.

B/R UK's Sam Tighe doesn't think Diaby is suited to working with Marseille:

Young Brazilian midfielder Allan Rodrigues de Souza was spotted training with Liverpool's first team on Tuesday, as reported by Simon Jones of the MailOnline. The Reds are in discussion with Internacional over a £500,000 transfer for the 18-year-old whose capture is yet to be made official.

Andy Hunter of the Guardian suggested Allan's arrival "represents part of a concerted effort by Liverpool to bolster their options at youth level this summer" on July 3. Metro Sport tweeted an image of the starlet with Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino at Liverpool's Melwood training centre:

Rodgers has worked avidly to improve his squad this summer, adding Milner, Firmino, Danny Ings, Adam Bogdan, Joe Gomez, Nathaniel Clyne and Christian Benteke to his ranks.

Diaby would have been a calculated risk. Although he can genuinely offer quality when fit, Liverpool supporters are unlikely to be too upset that it wasn't to be.

Allan's transfer appears inevitable, but he faces an almighty task when trying to break into the first team next season.