One Liverpool star linked with Barcelona of late is reportedly growing to the idea of moving to the Nou Camp this summer.
The Reds have endured a strange summer transfer window with no incomings so far and are running out of time to bolster their squad ahead of the new season.
Martin Zubimendi’s decision to snub Liverpool in favour of staying at Real Sociedad proved to be a big setback for Arne Slot, with the Spaniard previously earmarked as a top target to add more control to the Reds’ engine room.
Now, it appears as if Liverpool’s misery in the transfer market could be set to deepen with one of their attackers warming up to the possibility of securing a transfer.
Luis Diaz linked with Barcelona again ahead of transfer deadline
According to Mundo Deportivo, Luis Diaz remains a target for Barcelona after the Spanish giants failed to get a deal for Nico Williams over the line.
The 27-year-old is seen as a more experienced option for the left-flank than Williams, who played a starring role for Spain in their triumphant Euro 2024 campaign under Luis de la Fuente.
The report also states that Diaz is valued at around £49m and is tempted by the possibility of a move to the Nou Camp, although Liverpool are unlikely to budge on their valuation of the Colombian.
Liverpool face tough decision if Barcelona make Luis Diaz move
Diaz was hailed as an ‘unbelievable’ player by Ben Brereton Diaz last season and hit the ground running immediately after joining the club in January 2022. The 27-year-old played a pivotal role in the second half of the 2021-22 season as the Reds desperately fell short of an unprecedented quadruple.
In the summer that followed, Sadio Mane left Liverpool to join Bayern Munich, leaving the left-wing spot open for Diaz to grab. However, since then, the Colombian hasn’t managed to kick on and has lacked the end product to make himself an indispensable member of the starting XI.
If Barcelona decide to press ahead with their interest and meet the asking price, the Reds could be torn between giving Diaz a chance under their new manager and biting the bullet to offload an inconsistent player for a profit.
Liverpool were linked with a move for Anthony Gordon earlier in the summer and even agreed a £75m deal with Newcastle United to complete the transfer. However, the deal didn’t come to fruition as the Magpies offloaded Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson to raise funds and fall in line with the PSR guidelines.
The Reds could re-visit a deal for Gordon if Diaz goes but Newcastle will drive a hard bargain to part with one of their best players at this stage of the transfer window.