Barcelona are ready to make a serious play to sign Luis Diaz after missing out on Nico Williams, with a top journalist explaining why a ‘crazy money exit’ is ON, and with the update seriously deflating Marcus Rashford’s hopes of resurrecting a dream transfer to the Nou Camp.
The reigning LaLiga champions are looking to increase their attacking options this summer, despite their fearsome threesome of Robert Lewandowski (42), Raphinha (34) and Lamine Yamal (18) scoring a phenomenal 94 goals between them last season. And having held extensive talks over a deal for long-term target Nico Williams, Barcelona were left bruised, battered and somewhat humbled when the 22-year-old performed a sudden U-turn and signed a new 10-year deal with Athletic Club.
While Williams’ decision left a seething Barcelona to declaring privately they will never waste their time chasing the Spain winger ever again, they are not sitting on their laurels, with Deco having drawn up a new shopping list, which features Liverpool man Luis Diaz as his new ‘Plan A target’.
The Colombian has not hidden from his wishes to play for one of the LaLiga giants at some point in the future and has recently been left frustrated by Liverpool’s refusal to offer him a new deal which currently has just two years left to run.
Furthermore, given he is paid a very modest £55,000 a week, Diaz understandably is said to feel let down by the Reds’ refusal to discuss fresh terms.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have a clear ‘roadmap’ towards working on a deal for the 28-year-old, who is now their primary target’ and with Rashford – who we have consistently reported has long set his heart on playing at the Nou Camp – now falling back to become their Plan B option.
But as the Catalonian source states, a move for Diaz ‘remains on the table’ and with the paper claiming the Liverpool star’s agent telling Barca that they will go ‘all out to leave Anfield for the Spotify Camp Nou’.
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Luis Diaz transfer to Barcelona on – but only for ‘crazy money’
Barcelona, though, must time any approach right, with all transfer negotiations currently put on hold at Anfield after the tragic and heartbreaking loss of their Portugal forward Diogo Jota, who was killed in a car crash, alongside his brother, in the early hours of Thursday morning.
With Liverpool understandably grieving their unimaginable loss, the club has frozen all talk of incoming and outgoings as they firstly attend the player’s funeral, to be held on Saturday, and secondly offer their support to both Diogo Jota’s family and their current stars as they try and get their heads around the tragedy.
Despite that, and when the time comes, Liverpool FC journalist David Lynch insists there remains a chance Diaz could depart Anfield this summer – but only if crazy money is put on the table for a player Arne Slot very highly rates.
Speaking on hisYouTube channel, Lynch said: “I think Liverpool are saying he’s not for sale and we don’t want to sell him, but there’s always a point at which a player has a price on their head. If it gets to the point where it’s crazy money, then maybe that’s the point at which Liverpool are brought to the table.
“There are not-for-sale shouts you hear sometimes in a window that you can absolutely take to the bank as true, and that’s generally much later in the window. This early in the window, when Liverpool would have a lot of time to replace the player, then I think crazy money could bring them to the table.”
Discussing where the former FC Porto man could end up and what sort of fee could get Liverpool to the table, Lynch continued: “Al-Nassr are interested and there’s talk that they’re interested in offering £70m upwards to Liverpool. That’s a figure where Liverpool would say, ‘Look, he’s 28 years old; and as much as two years of a contract protects us, it’s still only two years, so maybe we are at a point where we could make a sale’.
“I think that kind of crazy money is what we’re talking about, and if you do get that kind of money, that allows you to reinvest in someone like an Alexander Isak, because you know that’s going to be an insanely expensive deal. It’s got to be that kind of money.”
Barcelona planning fire sale; Liverpool to wait for €100m striker
Meanwhile, Manchester United have the opportunity to sign three Barcelona star this summer with the Catalan giants planning a fire sale of €121m worth of top talent, a report has claimed.
Of those, sources confirmed to TEAMtalk on June 8 thatUnited are interested in Marc-Andre ter Stegen as they chase an elite upgrade for Andre Onana and with the 33-year-old German now cleared to leave.
Over at Liverpool, the Premier League champions will likely reinvest any money made from Luis Diaz’s sale on a new striker, with Hugo Ekitike’s name figuring very highly on their wanted list.
Now, a report claims the France U21 striker has made his stance on a potential move to Liverpool abundantly clear, while an Eintracht Frankfurt official has revealed the chances of the striker switching to Anfield in the summer window.
Next stop, Barcelona? Luis Diaz’s complete record as a Liverpool player
Luis Diaz 2021/22 Games 26 goals 6 assists 5 2022/23 games 21 goals 5 assists 3 2023/24 games 51 goals 13 assists 5 2024/25 games 50 goals 17 assists 8 total games 148 goals 41 assists 23
Luis Diaz stats for Liverpool by season