Liverpool winger Luis Diaz has reportedly selected his ‘preferred’ transfer as talks with the Premier League giants over a ‘contract renewal have halted’.
Diaz was linked with several European giants in the summer after his form was inconsistent during Jurgen Klopp’s farewell season.
Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain were among the clubs mooted as potential destinations, but the Colombia international opted to stick around and has shone for Liverpool this season.
The 27-year-old has nine goals and three assists in his 22 appearances across all competitions as he’s helped Arne Slot’s move clear at the top of the Premier League and Champions League.
Diaz is under contract until 2027 and a report earlier this month claimed he wants an ‘extraordinary pay rise’ if he’s to sign a new deal.
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Serie A giants AC Milan have been mentioned as a possible destination, but a report in Spain claims Barcelona and PSG remain interested in the forward.
The report says Diaz ‘prefers’ Barcelona after talks regarding a Liverpool ‘contract renewal halted’.
It is claimed that Liverpool have ‘encountered obstacles’ during talks with Diaz, who reckons Barcelona are his ‘most feasible way out’.
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The report adds:
‘Liverpool’s negotiations to renew his contract, which ends in 2027, have not materialised and the left winger is reportedly positioning himself to join Barcelona, an option that he likes.
‘Luis Díaz, one of the best-performing players at Anfield, is valued at around 80 million euros, a price that is still beyond the Barcelona budget, although in the summer they were close to paying 60 million for Nico Williams. Barça’s sporting director, Deco, values his versatility in reinforcing different attacking options. Barça have been monitoring him for some time.
‘Barcelona are not the only club that are reportedly after Luis Díaz . Both PSG and AC Milan are also said to be willing to bid.’
The futures of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are also in doubt as they are among the 20 best footballers who could become free agents in 2025.
Slot has sent a warning to Alexander-Arnold, claiming the England international needs to “understand” one thing if he’s to “be special as an individual”.
“I definitely like this in a player. I think this is something every player must have if you play at this level, if you don’t have this you probably don’t play at this level,” Slot told Sky Sports.
“As long as they understand that they need the team to be special as an individual. As long as they put the team first and as a result be special themselves, that is what they all do – including Trent.
“All the top players have this, they want to be special, they want to be the best. If that’s not what you have I think it is so hard to put the effort in to stay fit, to be good every three days.
“You always see them during the game and you probably think ‘What a life these players have’ and it is true, they have a great life, but they have to put a lot of work in to be able to at their best every three days.
“That is not given to everyone, that mentality and discipline, and therefore that’s the mentality of a top player and part of that is you need and want to be the best possible player in your position or the best player in the world.”