Barcelona were planning to swoop for Liverpool winger Luis Diaz this summer, but the Colombian has pledged his future to the Reds, who insist he’s going nowhere
Luis Diaz has reaffirmed his commitment to Liverpool, rejecting advances from Barcelona in a move that underscores the Reds’ newfound dominance in the transfer market. It also signals a seismic shift in their rivalry with the Catalan giants, who were hoping to lure Diaz to the Camp Nou this summer.
Once upon a time, Barcelona held an almost magnetic pull over Liverpool’s top players, particularly those from South America. Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho and Javier Mascherano all traded Merseyside for Catalonia, with their dreams of donning the Blaugrana shirt proving irresistible.
So frequent were these raids that Liverpool, stung by Coutinho’s £142million departure in 2018, inserted a cunning £90m premium clause into the deal, forcing Barcelona to pay a hefty surcharge for any future Anfield signings. This stipulation meant that the club would have to pay an additional £90m on top of any agreed transfer fee for future Liverpool players.
The clause only lasted until the end of the 2019/20 season, but it was a defensive measure born of necessity, a way to protect their stars from the Spanish giants’ grasp. It proved particularly valuable as Jurgen Klopp’s squad blossomed, with standout talents like Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Alisson Becker, and Virgil van Dijk rising to prominence in that period.
Fast forward to 2025, and the tables have turned. Diaz, who has two years remaining on his Liverpool deal, has made it clear he has no intention of leaving Merseyside, even if a contract extension isn’t agreed this summer.
“I’m very happy at Liverpool – I’ve always said so. They’ve welcomed me very well,” the Colombian told to beIN SPORTS ahead of Colombia’s clash with Peru on Friday. “If Liverpool gives us a good extension, or I have to see out my two-year contract, I’ll be happy.”
His words carry weight, not just for their sincerity but for what they reveal about the shifting dynamics between the two clubs. Diaz’s contentment at Liverpool is a testament to the club’s resurgence under Arne Slot, who guided the Reds to just their second Premier League title last month.
Diaz contributed 17 goals and eight assists in 50 appearances across the season – his best return since joining from Porto in 2022. His growing importance to Liverpool is clear – underscored by the club’s firm stance that he is not for sale. Even if he were, Barcelona no longer wield the same allure they once did, particularly when it comes to prying talent from Merseyside.
Liverpool are evidently no longer a stepping stone but a final destination – a far cry from the observation made by club legend Steven Gerrard in 2015. In his autobiography ‘My Story’, Gerrard correctly predicted Barcelona would go after Coutinho, and reckoned Liverpool might find it “tricky” to keep hold of the Brazilian because “the lure of going to [Barcelona or Real Madrid] is so strong for any South American player.”
But Diaz appears to have resisted the urge, even in spite of Barcelona’s La Liga-winning campaign and the high-octane football they were showcasing in the Champions League prior to their semi-final exit at the hands of Inter Milan.
The £90m premium clause from the Coutinho deal is now a relic of a bygone era, a reminder of when Liverpool had to fend off Barcelona’s advances with contractual ingenuity. Today, they do so with the confidence of a club at the pinnacle of European football.
Diaz’s decision to stay, coupled with Liverpool’s swift rejection of Barcelona’s approach, sends a clear message: Anfield is where dreams are made rather than imagined, and the Reds are no longer anyone’s feeder club.
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