Luis Díaz transfer decision made by Liverpool as FSG influence clear

Liverpool forward Luis Díaz is being linked with a move away from Anfield this summer. It is far from the first time the Colombian has been in this position with the Reds either.

As Liverpool looks to build on the fantastic work undertaken over the last nine years by Jürgen Klopp, it may look to reshape the squad to the needs of new head coach Arne Slot. If it is looking to raise funds then Díaz is arguably the most sellable asset.

Transfermarkt rate the 27-year-old as having the joint-highest market value of any player in the squad, alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai on $80.2m (£63.1m/€75m). But with the latter pair only joining the club last summer, Díaz’ time with Liverpool will surely end sooner.

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Whether the Reds will receive that much for the former Porto man remains to be seen. However, Football Insider has been told by sources that the Reds will at least be looking to make a profit on their current number seven if he leaves the club.

It's cl;aimed that Diaz, who was signed for £50million [$63.5m/€59.4m] including add-ons in January 2022, has attracted interest from both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Even though Liverpool is not actively looking to sell, it will consider doing so if there is a profit to be made and a bid over that level is received - something that has FSG's fingerprints all over it.

The Reds tend to be proactive in the transfer market and always keen to make smart deals. That's another example of that thinking, led by Michael Edwards and now including new sporting director Richard Hughes.

It is claimed that the Reds expect Díaz to be part of their pre-season program, albeit his involvement will be delayed assuming Colombia do reasonably well at the Copa America in the United States. Díaz is under contract until 2027 so there is no immediate need for Liverpool to sell him unless it suits it.

Only Virgil van Dijk played more minutes for the Reds than the Colombian in 2023/24, illustrating how important he was for Klopp in the manager’s final campaign in charge. However, despite his playing time advantage, Díaz scored the fewest goals of the Reds’ five senior forwards and delivered the fewest contributions once assists were added into the mix. Has the time for Liverpool to cash in on the left winger arrived?

Liverpool.com says: While the Football Insider story tells us little about Díaz' future, it does at least suggest the Reds are willing to do business if the price is right. Michael Edwards struck a hard bargain on outgoings during his previous spell at Liverpool and it's reasonable to assume new sporting director Richard Hughes will do likewise. With the Copa America starting shorty, this story will run for a good while longer yet.