Liverpool is reportedly seeking approximately €80 million (£67.2 million; $89.3 million) for Luis Díaz, amid increasing interest from Barcelona, according to reports from Spain.
The Colombian forward has been frequently associated with a transfer to Catalonia, despite his consistent expressions of affection for Liverpool.
Barcelona’s advancement to the Champions League semifinals and their dominance in Spanish football have made them an appealing option for players.
Díaz is reportedly intrigued by the prospect of joining Barcelona; however, the Catalan club would need to pay €80 million to acquire him, as stated by SPORT.
The newly crowned La Liga champions are also involved in a protracted pursuit of Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.
Unlike the Aston Villa loanee, who is said to be open to a pay reduction for a move to Spain, Díaz’s salary is not anticipated to pose a barrier for Barcelona.
The real challenge lies in whether they can meet Liverpool’s high asking price.
The financially constrained Catalan club has not invested over €80 million on a single player since Antoine Griezmann’s transfer from Atlético Madrid in 2019, and they have spent just over €90 million on their last eight signings combined. Nevertheless, there are indications that the club may be willing to loosen their financial restrictions this summer.
Deco, the sporting director, has indicated that the club is continually seeking to enhance their squad in every transfer window and has specifically highlighted the need for a new winger.
Deco recently acknowledged, ‘We suddenly feel quite reliant on Raphinha and Lamine [Yamal].
Perhaps we require similar players to provide solutions when they are unavailable.’
This season, Díaz has enjoyed the most productive campaign of his European career under Arne Slot, accumulating 17 goals and five assists across all competitions, although these statistics do not rival the extraordinary figures achieved by Yamal (17 goals, 21 assists).