There was concrete interest from Manchester City in Liverpool winger Luis Diaz last summer, according to journalist David Ornstein.
Diaz is enjoying statistically the best season of his Reds career, with 13 goals in 31 appearances, but had things turned out differently last year, he might have been wearing a blue shirt rather than a red one this term.
Ornstein revealed the information in a Q&A session with The Athletic after he was asked by a reader whether Diaz was looking to leave Liverpool this summer. Diaz has been at Liverpool for three years and his current contract at Anfield is due to expire in the summer of 2027.
“Still no sign of a new contract, which is unusual for such a prominent player who has been at Anfield for as long as Diaz,” Ornstein said. “Barcelona have long been linked with him; their admiration is genuine. There was definitely something in the Man City reports last summer, too. If he is available, there will be many suitors! Amid all the focus on Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, this is one of the lesser-mentioned unknowns at Anfield but still hugely important.”
It was reported last month that Barcelona had been emboldened in its pursuit of Diaz after it was announced that the Catalan club’s Squad Cost Limit, which is the amount of money a La Liga club is allowed to spend over the course of a season, was increased by €37 million ($39 million) following the winter transfer window.
Barcelona has struggled financially in recent years and saw its Squad Cost Limit slashed last January, but it has since increased to $485 million — more than double the amount it was 12 months ago.
It was claimed by Spanish outlet AS that Barca sporting director Deco believed the club’s extra spending power would give it the capability to sign Diaz. Deco is said to be a big fan of Diaz and thinks he can play on either flank, while also being capable of contributing a significant number of goals.
Diaz, whose father previously said his son ‘dreamed’ of playing for Barcelona, reportedly has no desire to renew his Liverpool contract at this moment in time, which could prompt the Nou Camp club to test the waters with a bid for the Reds star this summer.
