Liverpool could be facing a tough decision over whether or not to sell Luis Diaz this summer, amid widely reported interest from Barcelona and Saudi Arabia.
Diaz was among Liverpool’s standout performers in their title-winning campaign but the Colombian heads into the transfer window with two years left on his contract.
That puts him and the club in a pivotal situation, with it typically the point in which either a new contract is agreed or a sale is negotiated to maximise value.
Liverpool’s No. 7 clearly finds himself in that position as Barcelona and, more recently, Al-Nassr are vying for his signature.
According to Colombia reporter Pipe Sierra – considered a reliable source on news regarding Diaz – neither player or club are pushing for a transfer at this stage.
In fact, it is explained that Liverpool’s priority is to reward the forward with a new long-term contract, as This Is Anfield revealed back in September.
Speaking on Kick, Sierra added that Diaz is open to extending his stay at Anfield – as the player himself told Telemundo Deportes in May.
However, Sierra did concede that Diaz would not rule out a move to Saudi Arabia, while he would clearly be happy to make the switch to Barcelona.
It remains a delicate situation for Liverpool, but their stance appears clear: if Diaz does not sign a new contract he will be sold.
Why Liverpool may – and may not – sell Diaz
This comes with a player who filled in as Arne Slot‘s first-choice striker in the season just gone likely to face major competition for his place in the campaign ahead.
Liverpool intend to sign a new No. 9, with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike among their targets, while there are also suggestions another wide forward could be brought in.
Diaz turned 28 in January but is likely to command a sizeable fee if he is sold, with reports in Spain claiming that his price tag would be around €80 million (£67.4m) – which could increase for wealthy clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Slot clearly appreciates what Diaz offers to his setup and his ability to play across the front line – along with his experience in the Premier League and Champions League – make him an invaluable asset.
The transfer window has now officially opened but it is largely focused around sides competing in the Club World Cup, with deals able to be completed between June 1 and 10 before closing again and reopening as normal on June 16.
Neither Barcelona nor Al-Nassr are taking part in the tournament in the United States, meaning there is no rush for Liverpool to decide on Diaz’s future.
