With the 2024 Euros set to begin in Germany, attention will turn to the fortunes of Liverpool’s players on the international stage.
Rumours have circulated that Trent Alexander-Arnold will start England’s opener against Serbia on Sunday from midfield. With Trent set to line up alongside elite potential partners Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, Reds fans across the world will be excited to see how the club’s vice-captain fares.
Across the Atlantic, the Copa América kicks off next week, with first-team players including Alisson and Alexis Mac Allister amongst the tournament’s possible key men. Winger Luis Díaz impressed in the 2021 edition of the competition and was voted into CONMEBOL’s team of the tournament, alongside the likes of Neymar and Lionel Messi.
Questions have arisen as to whether Díaz will be a key part of the new regime under Arne Slot, with PSG and Barcelona rumoured to be interested in a big money move for the Colombian.
Lucho told a reporter for Gol Caracol he is ‘very happy there in Liverpool’, but stressed he was focusing entirely on the national team.
On the latest episode of our Journo Insight show, we asked the Liverpool Echo’s Chief LFC writer Ian Doyle for his thoughts on the Díaz links.
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Ian said:
“He did say he’s happy at Liverpool. He didn’t say he’s happy to stay, also he didn’t say, ‘I’m not talking about any of the transfer interest.’
“There has been a lot of talk about it. The two clubs who we know are interested are Paris Saint Germain – who need a left winger because Mbappe left for Real Madrid – and then Barcelona.
“The Barcelona situation is interesting, because they haven’t got any money, so they have to sell players. Now, if they want to sell players, that’s going to take a while.
“Liverpool would obviously – if they’re going to end up losing Díaz – they’d rather get somebody in fairly handily. They don’t want to be going towards the end of the transfer window.
“He’s 27 now, so will Liverpool be super keen to give him a massive contract when they know quite well he’s probably in his peak years now, and the next two or three? Knowing that they probably won’t get as much if you’re trying to sell him a bit after that.
“Personally speaking, I wouldn’t sell him. I know a lot of people talk about his numbers, that he doesn’t have enough assists and goals and stuff like that, and they compare him to Mané, but that’s not very fair.
“I think Liverpool will have a decision to make because I’m sure if someone offers £75 million, they’ll go, ‘That’s actually quite a large amount.’
“That would be fair enough. Liverpool bought him for 50 [million pounds]. Take half a year out with his injury, they got two very good years out of him, and then they’re going to end up making a sizable profit and they can sign someone who’s a bit younger.”
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Rumours linking Díaz – who was described as ‘really special’ by Jürgen Klopp – to the Anfield exit door have been circulating for months now, with the 27-year-old’s father (also called Luis) wasting little time after his release from kidnapping last year to state that his son is a Barcelona fan who dreams of playing for the club one day. As Ian says, the Catalan side’s financial position has been a shaky one for several years, with the club having to free up funds before they can consider any incomings. That would make a deal which would pique Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes’ interests very difficult. As well as his good track record of incomings, Edwards has historically been a master of extracting value for outgoing players. PSG have no such issues given their Qatari backers but seem to have moved away from signing bigger names from other European giants in recent years. With the loss of Kylian Mbappe sure to sting supporters, a big money move for Díaz could set Parisian pulses racing. Lucho has always given his best in a red shirt when fit, but a large enough fee could see him move on this summer.
