Luis Díaz is reportedly attempting to engineer a departure from Liverpool this summer, with a coveted transfer to Barcelona in his sights.
Díaz is four weeks away from commencing the final two years of his contract with Liverpool, and discussions regarding an extension have not progressed significantly.
This scenario has attracted the attention of Barcelona, who have recognized the Colombian international as a key transfer target.
It was reported late last month that Díaz was resisting Liverpool’s attempts to secure him to a new contract, and now Mundo Deportivo goes so far as to assert that the adaptable forward is making every effort to facilitate a transfer to Barcelona.
Díaz’s agent is said to have communicated to Liverpool his intention to move to Barcelona and has even obstructed any further communication from the Reds, clearly indicating that there is no possibility of extending his contract, which is set to expire in 2027.
This strategy has garnered positive feedback from Barcelona, who are striving to reduce Liverpool’s asking price.
According to SPORT, Arne Slot’s team is requesting €80 million (£67.5 million, $91.5 million) to release Díaz—a sum that, at present, Barça is unwilling to pay.
Barcelona is also compiling a list of alternative options should they be unable to negotiate a lower price for Díaz, which includes Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli.
However, there remains optimism that they will not need to seek other players, as they believe Liverpool will be inclined to sell in order to finance their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, a transfer that could reach €150 million (£126.6 million, $171.5 million) if the German club’s demands are met.
Reports suggest that Barcelona has been in discussions with Díaz’s representatives for several weeks and are now “confident” that an agreement will be finalized before the summer transfer window concludes.
There is competing interest in Díaz from Saudi Arabia, where fellow Liverpool player Darwin Núñez is also a target. Nevertheless, there is a strong belief that he will decline offers from the Middle East in favor of a transfer to Catalonia.