The latest on Luis Diaz
Liverpool are crying out for another forward, as they look to find suitable cover for their current frontline. At present, backup options (when fit) include Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino, while Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliot have also both been trialled in the wide areas.
Safe to say, however, that they could do better, especially when the drop off from Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota is so large.
Step forward, Luis Diaz.
The Porto man has reportedly been on Liverpool’s radar for some time, and has enjoyed a productive campaign to date, providing 12 goals and 4 assists in 15 Liga Portugal games, as well as finding the net twice in 6 Champions League group games.
And now, as per The Daily Mail, citing The Sun, Jurgen Klopp’s side are “closing in” on a deal for the Colombian wide man, with a 60 million fee being touted.
Liverpool are ‘closing in on £60m deal for Porto star Luis Diaz’ with the Colombian ‘seen as an ideal replacement for Mo Salah and Sadio Mane’ https://t.co/du2h4FAihB
— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) January 6, 2022
However, given recent lack of spending, and the fact that the January transfer window is notoriously hard to do business in, it is hard to see this report having legs to it, even if the interest from Merseyside is true.
Divock Origi departing?
However, news of a potential Divock Origi departure may fan those flames further.
As per local Italian outlet Lazio News, Mauricio Sarri’s side are in talks with the Belgian forward, who has just six months left to run on his current contract at Anfield, and there has been little sign of an extension forthcoming.
2nd June 2019, Liverpool, Merseyside; Liverpool FC celebration parade after their Champions League final win over Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid on 1st June; Divock Origi of Liverpool smiles as he boards the team’s open top bus (photo by David Blunsden/Action Plus via Getty Images)
And, according to the report, Liverpool are keen to receive some sort of a fee for their cult hero, which could see him moved on in January.
Should that prove the case, with both Salah and Mane away on International duty, a new forward could be needed to strengthen their threadbare frontline.
Would they want to shell out for Luis Diaz?
