Luis Diaz ‘happy’ at Liverpool but admits ‘talking with other clubs’ amid Barcelona interest | OneFootball

After both Barcelona and Liverpool have made their stance on a deal clear, Colombian winger Luis Diaz has made his position on a potential move to Catalonia clear. Diaz is a priority target for the Blaugrana, and Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr are also in pursuit of the 28-year-old.

Last week Barcelona Director of Football Deco spoke to months of reports that they want Diaz as their top target, calling him ‘a player we like’ and noting that he was a ‘good player’ in two separate interviews. Meanwhile Liverpool were supposedly ‘perplexed’ by the flurry of stories coming out of the Catalan capital. On Thursday morning, it was leaked that Liverpool had rejected an approach from Barcelona for Diaz.

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Luis Diaz responds publicly

Just hours later, Diaz responded to the stories about his future. Currently with the Colombian national team, Diaz told Fabrizio Romano that he was happy at Liverpool, but also talking to other clubs.

“I’m very happy at Liverpool. They’ve treated me well since the first day. We’re talking with other clubs. It’s the transfer window, it’s normal. If Liverpool renews my contract, or if I have to stay the 2 years I have left, I’ll be happy. It’s up to them.”

Barcelona’s stance on Diaz

Beyond their clear interest, the word coming out of Catalonia is that they believe they can strike a deal with Liverpool for around €70m. Despite their rejection of Barcelona’s approach, the Catalan giants remain unfazed by the messaging coming their way, and believe it to be a negotiation tactic. They will no doubt see Diaz’s admission as a nod to their attempts, and encouragement to keep going.

Alternatives for Barcelona

The main alternative to Diaz appears to be Marcus Rashford. Should the deal for Diaz become too expensive or impossible, then they will likely move for the Manchester United forward. Kingsley Coman of Bayern Munich and Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli are also on their shortlist.