Who is Luis Diaz? The €45m star wanted by Chelsea, set for Liverpool

Martin Macdonald

28 Jan 2022 08:09 CST
6 min read

One of the stars of summer football in 2021 was Porto and Colombia winger Luis Diaz, and he could now be set for a huge transfer to the Premier League.

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The 24-year-old finished the Copa America as joint top goalscorer alongside Lionel Messi, with the pair scoring four goals each.

Diaz had already impressed at Porto in 2020/21 as his performances helped them to a league and cup double, while his excellent form has continued into the current campaign.

The Portuguese giants managed to retain him beyond the transfer window and he has already scored 16 goals in 28 starts in 2021/22.

What position does Luis Diaz play?

Diaz features as a winger, usually on the left-hand side.

How good is Luis Diaz?

After starring for Atletico Junior, Diaz signed for Porto for €7 million in July of 2019.

In his first season with the club he made 34 starts in all competitions, scoring 14 goals and recording three assists.

Though his goalscoring went down slightly to 10 in all competitions in 2020/21, his assist recorded shot up from three to six.

In the current campaign, he has scored 16 goals in 28 games.

The Colombian is very much in the mould of the modern winger in that he plays on the left wing to cut inside onto his stronger right foot.

Dribbling comes as a natural talent to him, but his shooting is also impressive as he regularly attempts to find space for a strike on goal when space develops from that left flank.

At the Copa America, he helped Colombia finish third thanks to his performances and tally of four goals.

Former Colombia head coach Arturo Reyes likened Diaz's talents to that of new Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho.

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A post shared by Luis Fernando Diaz Marulanda (@luisdiaz19_)

“A player like Lucho, with the qualities he has, can play for any team. It’s not easy to find players like him," he told O Jogo.

“There are things similar to Sancho. Both have fun on the field, they don’t feel pressure and they play the same way in any side."

What clubs are interested in Luis Diaz?

Chelsea and Spurs were previously the two main clubs linked with Diaz, but it was believed that Liverpool were leading the race for his signature.

The Reds are targeting a winger who could act as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, or indeed provide competition for the Egyptian and the likes of Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota.

As of this week, Liverpool have sent representatives to South America to speak with Diaz and his agents while he is on international duty with Colombia.

They are looking to sign him in the January transfer window.

Tottenham have submitted an official bid for Luis Díaz as reported by @pedromsepulveda today. FC Porto have not accepted yet. ⚪️🇨🇴 #THFC

Tottenham presented the official bid during a direct meeting in Portugal. Player dreams of Premier League but not easy deal between clubs.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 25, 2022