The end of the winter transfer window has brought an unexpected yet interesting move for one of the contenders to win the Premier League.
Earlier today, reports coming in from Portugal state that Liverpool have agreed terms with Porto for the signing of Colombian ace Luis Díaz. The player will be joining the Reds after Klopp's team agreed to pay the Portuguese giants over $41.8M as transfer fee, with added bonuses that could see the deal reaching $55.7M.
Díaz will get to Anfield as one of the best strikers in Primeira Liga, having scored 14 goals for Porto in league games this season. Added to that, the Colombian ace has also handed out six assists for his teammates across all competitions. The former Junior de Barranquilla footballer was also nominated to the 2021 Puskas award for an impressive bicycle kick against Brazil in the 2021 Copa América.
This move will add pressure on some of the members of Liverpool's powerful attack featuring Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, and Roberto Firmino. Out of these trio, rumors state that Salah is set to sign a new deal with the Reds, while Firmino could be the one leaving the club next summer. Hence, Díaz's arrival and Diogo Jota's contributions would see the club saying goodbye to the men that were key to their 2018-19 UEFA Champions League win.
Reports coming in from Portugal state that, while Porto's execs have welcomed the move due to the team's financial problems, coach Sergio Conceicao has complained about Díaz's departure, since he sees him as a key member of the team in their quest to win another domestic title. It remains to be seen if Porto will re-invest this money to sign another player before transfer deadline, but given the little time left for the end of the window, Porto's options to sign a replacement look slim.
Díaz is away on international duty with Colombia, which will force him to have a medical examination during the weekend in Argentina, where Los Cafeteros are set to play a World Cup Qualifying match against La Albiceleste. The player's contract should be signed once he passes all medical tests.
