At FC Barcelona, one thing is clear ahead of the summer transfer window: they want a left winger and are not ruling out further signings in attack. With the squad that has won three titles for the Catalan club more or less assured, the priority now is to offload players in order to enter the transfer market with the greatest possible guarantees.
In the search for that key reinforcement for the Barça attack, there is one name that fits the bill perfectly: Luis Díaz.
Deco makes it clear
In a recent interview, FC Barcelona’s sporting director was clear about the team’s needs and his priorities for the transfer market. “I think we have a good balance, both in defense and in midfield. There are players who are still going to grow. Like Gavi, who is coming back from injury, but who will improve a lot with next year’s preseason. There’s also Marc Bernal, who was injured at the start of the season. We have Araújo and Dani Olmo, with whom we are working to ensure they don’t suffer any more injuries,“ said Deco, who shortly afterwards added that this was where he saw the most options in the market: ”And in attack, it will depend on what we can do in the market. But that’s perhaps the only area where we feel we are missing one or two players.”
This is not the first time that the club has expressed the need to sign a reinforcement for the attack to reduce the dependence on Lamine and Raphinha and offer Hansi Flick more alternatives, as he himself said before the end of the season. “In recent games, we haven’t had many options for these positions. Looking at players is Deco’s job, but I will help him,” he said.
Luis Díaz is very popular
The objective is clear, and so is the favorite candidate. Barça has its sights set on Luis Díaz. It is true that they are considering a long list of candidates, not all of whom have been made public, but the Colombian has been at the top of the list for months. Deco likes him a lot and sees him as the missing piece of the puzzle and the perfect fit for what they are looking for. The Liverpool winger is Deco’s weakness, and he wants to play for time in his signing as his price is prohibitive. The English club is currently demanding around $80 million to let the Colombian leave.
The promise Barça is clinging to
Barça has already begun talks with Luis Díaz, who has given the green light to the signing and wants to join the Azulgrana. According to information published by Sport, he has told them that he has Liverpool’s promise to let him leave if an offer is made for a stipulated amount that would be less than the 80 million that has been mentioned. However, the feedback from the English club is that the door is not open for any amount less than that stipulated in the clause.
This discrepancy means that negotiations are at a standstill, but Barça are in no hurry as they still have to sell players and free up salary space, while they wait for the English club, which has made a significant investment in the transfer market, to lower their demands due to their need for cash.