The January transfer window has certainly been kind of slow, but one can expect things to really heat up now as deadline day rapidly approaches. Luis Diaz, 25, FC Porto and Colombia forward has signed a long-term contract with Liverpool FC, as the Anfield club is understood to have paid an initial fee of £37.5 million for him.
In the quest to sign Diaz, Liverpool beat out both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. The club have officially confirmed his arrival:
The moment you’ve been waiting for…
Luis Diaz is a RED ? #VamosLuis pic.twitter.com/wl9koUlPgl
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 30, 2022
“I could not be happier that we’ve been able to get this deal done and bring Luis to Liverpool,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
“I have always been a believer in only signing players in January if you would want to sign them in the summer, and that’s very much the case with Luis. He is an outstanding player and someone we’ve been tracking for a very long time.
“This team deserved to add quality and when we played against Luis earlier this season, we saw what a danger he is, how fast he is and how his mentality was to help his team.
“We know Porto is an outstanding club who nurture players in the best possible way and provide a brilliant football education. They are a class club and, I have to say, have been tough negotiators.”
Interesting to see how Luis Diaz fits in with the rest of the Liverpool attack. Maybe his arrival signifies that one of the club’s major stars could be leaving this summer?
Read the tea leaves, as this is a big money move for January.
It may have been the most expensive signing of this window, in a transfer period that hasn’t really seen a whole lot of action.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.