Report: Liverpool value Luis Diaz at half of £67m release clause

Liverpool are looking at Luis Diaz but won’t pay his full release clause, according to reports. The Colombian is on fire this season.

This comes from the Athletic. They claim that Liverpool do have eyes on Luis Diaz right now, following reports that have circled for some time now.

Record, for instance, were saying in Portugal that Liverpool wanted Diaz this month. It comes in a period of fantastic form for the Colombian, who has 14 goals in 21 games across the Primeira Liga and Champions League this season.

All of those goals have come from the left wing, too. Diaz is looking like one of the best goal-scoring wingers around right now – and that will rightly interest Liverpool.

However, there’s a hitch. Porto want Diaz’s full £67m release clause and Liverpool won’t justify that amount for a ‘backup’ player. In fact, the Reds believe Diaz is only worth half of that amount.

As things stand, they won’t move for the Porto winger this month.

Diaz has long been mentioned as a potential solution to Liverpool’s AFCON problem. That is, without Sadio Mane or Mohamed Salah for a month, Diaz could replace their goals.

But at this stage, we’re not sure that’s true anymore. Liverpool’s problem won’t be around for very long by the time Diaz would arrive – Mane and Salah are due back next month.

That’s likely what turns Liverpool away from this deal, then. Or at least, what prevents them from spending £67m on their AFCON cover.

Though, with reports that Liverpool could sell Divock Origi, a replacement would surely be inbound. Maybe not a £67m one, admittedly, but it would open the door to conversations.

Personally, Diaz looks like a potential world-beating signing and one we hope Liverpool look at seriously. We’ll hope that their current stance is a negotiation tactic above all, then, but we’d understand not wanting to pay that full clause.

At the very least, though, we’d like to see any interest rekindled in the summer.