Luis Diaz attracted two major Premier League competitors in Tottenham and Liverpool during the winter window for the winger’s services, with the latter emerging victorious in a contest for the player’s signature.
However, it has emerged that a third party was reportedly involved in talks with the Primeira Liga outfit – specifically, La Liga giants Barcelona – as reported by Charlie Eccleshare and Jack Pitt-Brooke.
“Sources have indicated that Barcelona were also in for the winger and prepared to pay €5 million (£4.2 million) up front followed by by €50 million (£41.8 million) in the summer,” the journalists wrote in a joint piece for The Athletic.
It goes to show how highly regarded the Colombian international is in world football given the level of interest, and it could turn out to be something of a coup for the Merseysiders in light of the money saved.
All in all, it turned out to be the perfect ‘FSG transfer’, with us signing a new attacker for the future on a long-term deal and, critically, on a massive discount that could have prohibited a transfer.
With us having already signed Diogo Jota, the man many assume to be Bobby Firmino’s long-term replacement, the acquisition of Diaz is a key one that provides further confidence in the future of our forward line whilst three of our prestigious attackers have contracts set to expire in 2023.
#Ep31 of The Red Nets Podcast: The poor handling of Mane, what the hell are NFTs?… and more!