Barcelona target might need to follow ‘the Raphinha route’ to complete summer move | OneFootball

Luis Diaz’s dream of playing for Barcelona may only come true if he shows the same determination that Raphinha did back in 2022.

According to SPORT, the Colombian forward could be required to take big steps on his own to make the move from Liverpool to Camp Nou a reality.

In Raphinha’s case, the Brazilian ignored bigger offers from Premier League clubs like Chelsea and even Liverpool at the time.

Leeds United had agreed on a transfer with the Blues, but the player stood firm and rejected the deal. He made it clear he only wanted Barça, and he waited patiently until the club finally signed him for €57 million.

That decision worked out well, as Raphinha has delivered big performances in the Blaugrana shirt, even reaching Ballon d’Or levels in some stretches.

Barcelona know it won’t be easy

Now, the story seems to be repeating itself, just with different names. This time, it is Diaz who is being tracked by Barcelona. However, the road ahead is not simple.

Barcelona are interested in Luis Diaz. (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)

Liverpool value the Colombian at around €85 million, and his current deal with the club runs until 2027. On top of that, Liverpool have already offered him a contract renewal, which would raise his salary from €3.5 million a year.

Barcelona are not in a position to make quick moves due to financial fair play rules and their limited salary budget.

Deco and Hansi Flick are both very keen on Diaz, seeing him as a key player to improve the squad. But the club won’t know until mid-July whether they will have the room to make this deal happen.

Just like Raphinha did, Diaz may need to push for the transfer himself. Reports suggest he has been a lifelong fan of Barcelona, and now could be his chance to prove it.

Sometimes, the opportunity to wear the Barça shirt only comes once. If he wants it badly enough, he might need to say no to Liverpool’s new offer and wait it out, just like his Brazilian counterpart once did.