Liverpool have been told that they have a player who could potentially be worth £120m in the transfer market – if he improves one crucial aspect of his game.
After a summer in which he was frequently linked with a move to Barcelona, Luis Diaz has begun the season in flying form, with a goal and an assist against Brentford followed by a brace in the 3-0 win over Manchester United.
Speaking on the Walk On podcast, James Pearce claimed that Arne Slot is quickly getting the best out of the Colombian, whose market value could soar if he extrapolates his current form over the course of a full campaign.
The Athletic journalist said of the 27-year-old: “When you think that we’re at the start of September and he’s already got three in three, that end product, I think, is the difference between him being a £100m footballer and probably a £120m footballer.
“He’s got everything else, and he just needs that composure in the final third. Whatever Slot is doing with him on the training field at the minute seems to be working.”
There’s been a lot to like about Diaz’s performances in his first two-and-a-half years at Liverpool, although some fans may argue that a return of 27 goals in 101 appearances for the club isn’t overly impressive for an attacking player.
He was the least prolific of the Reds’ five senior forwards last term (13 goals) despite playing the most minutes (3,615), although for part of that season he was dealing with the trauma of his parents’ kidnapping ordeal in Colombia.
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In addition to his fine start to the campaign in terms of goalscoring, our number 7 has been playing with a dynamism which is likely to keep him ahead of Cody Gakpo for the left-sided attacking berth, provided he stays fit.
Diaz already appears to be well on course to surpass his goal tally from 2023/24, and as Pearce says, if the Colombian can maintain his early-season form over an extended period, Liverpool would be in a position to demand a seismic transfer fee for him.
Of course, if the boy from Barrancas were to hit the kind of numbers which’d see the Reds slap a £120m price tag on him, we most certainly wouldn’t want him to be sold!
Here’s hoping that Lucho can extend his impressive recent form across a full campaign. The early signs suggests that he’s capable of doing so.
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