Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz has reportedly ‘caught the attention’ of Italian giants Juventus amid uncertainty surrounding his future at Anfield.
The 28-year-old hit the ground running under Arne Slot following the Dutchman’s arrival at Anfield last summer and has now established himself as Liverpool’s first-choice centre-forward.
However, Diaz’s contributions have since dropped off dramatically, and he has now gone six Premier League games without a goal or assist following Wednesday’s 2-2 Merseyside derby draw with Everton.
Twelve goals and three assists from 34 matches is still not a terrible return for the Colombia international, but his contract situation is one that will need addressing soon.
The former Porto man has not signed a single extension on the terms he penned when he joined three years back, and he will enter the final two years of his agreement when the summer rolls around.
Juventus to offer Diaz escape route?
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Liverpool are said to have been struggling to agree fresh terms with Diaz, whose situation is also less of a priority than Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk.
Barcelona have long been linked with an approach for the South American, but Liverpool would still command a hefty fee to sell this summer, and the Catalans’ dire financial situation could scupper a move.
Instead, Tuttojuve – via juvefc – claims that Thiago Motta‘s side are also keen to strike a deal for Diaz should the Colombia international decide to end his time at Anfield this summer.
As is the case with Barcelona, though, there are fears that Liverpool could price Diaz out of a move to Juventus, who have supposedly been quoted a mammoth €85m (£70.8m) to sign the winger.
Nevertheless, the report adds that the Bianconeri are still ‘likely’ to make a move when the summer window opens for business, whether that be as small a step as touching base with intermediaries.
Liverpool paid Porto €53m (£44.2m) to sign Diaz midway through the 2021-22 season, and the 28-year-old has now conjured up 36 goals and 16 assists in 132 appearances for the Merseyside titans.
Could five Liverpool attackers leave this summer?
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Out of Liverpool’s current attacking crop, arguably only Cody Gakpo‘s place is secure, as all of Salah, Diaz, Harvey Elliott, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have seen their futures called into question this year.
Jota has been heralded as Liverpool’s most ruthless attacker, but he is now alleged to be ‘frustrating’ Slot and could be sold for the right price this summer amid shock interest from Arsenal.
Meanwhile, Liverpool allegedly blocked Nunez from moving to the Saudi Pro League for two reasons in January, where Elliott was also linked with Brighton & Hove Albion and Borussia Dortmund.
Salah’s contract is still due to expire in the summer too, but it has been claimed that the Egyptian’s renewal is ‘all but done’.
