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Liverpool turn down Barcelona's approach for winger Luis Diaz

Liverpool turn down Barcelona's approach for winger Luis Diaz

Glasgow Times2 days ago

The Colombia international has been a target for the LaLiga champions for some time, although he has also been attracting interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
Only last month Barca's sporting director Deco publicly named Diaz, and Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, when talking about their transfer plans.
Liverpool do not want to sell Luis Diaz (Adam Davy/PA)
However, the PA news agency understands when the Catalan club made an approach to Liverpool on Wednesday they were told they had no intention of selling.
Diaz turned 28 in January and has two years remaining on his current deal but it is believed there are currently no plans to open negotiations on any extension.
However, with Darwin Nunez expected to depart this summer and the future of Federico Chiesa in doubt after a frustrating debut season in which he made just 14 appearances, Arne Slot's Premier League-winning forward line already looks like losing two of its members.
The arrival of Florian Wirtz, with discussions ongoing with Bayer Leverkusen over the transfer fee after a recent £109million bid was rejected, will likely offset the impact of that – especially as Nunez and Chiesa contributed just nine goals between them.
But it is understood potentially losing a third member of the attack would only be sanctioned if there was a bid which allows Liverpool to significantly improve the team or if the player agitated for a move.
Last month Diaz told American-Spanish television channel Telemundo: 'For me, I'd stay however many years it takes.'
Bayer Leverkusen forward Florian Wirtz's expected arrival will boost Liverpool's attacking options (Niall Carson/PA)
Liverpool have already recruited Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen to strengthen their right side following the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold and are looking to bolster the left with a move for Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez.
The Cherries value the 21-year-old Hungary international, who is keen on a move to Anfield, at £45m but Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes is currently negotiating with his former club over the fee.
Liverpool have announced they would start their pre-season with a friendly at Preston on July 13, prior to them flying to Hong Kong and Japan for matches against AC Milan and Yokohama F.Marinos.

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