Stan Collymore says he'll drive Liverpool star to Barcelona if club offer £50-60m for him
Former Liverpool star Stan Collymore has said that he will "drive" Luis Diaz to Barcelona should they offer £50-60 million for him. However, given Barca's well-known financial woes, paying that amount for the Colombian's signature could be an uphill task.
Diaz has been decent at Anfield since arriving in January 2022. In 98 appearances across competitions, the Colombian has scored 24 goals. While he has filled the void left behind by former talisman Sadio Mane, Diaz has been plagued with injuries, which is a concern for the Reds.
He has been linked with a move to Barcelona since January, but the Blaugrana's financial issues remain a huge problem. Nevertheless Collymore has asked Liverpool not to be afraid of cashing in on the inconsistent 27-year-old, on the Caught Offside podcast:
"Diaz is an odd one because of his injuries, the situation with his father’s kidnap which was obviously very traumatic during the season … at times he looks world-class, but, at others, he struggles to get a foothold in the game.
"It really does depend on whether Barcelona are prepared to pay £50m-£60m for him, in which case I’ll drive him to Barcelona. If it wasn’t a derisory offer and they offered a player in return as well, for the new manager, it might simply depend on what kind of player that they’re offering."
Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip left Liverpool at the end of the season. The club also bid farewell to gaffer Jurgen Klopp following a nine-year-old stint.
Liverpool interested in Benfica's Joao Neves
Several clubs, including the Reds, are interested in signing the 19-year-old Joao Neves of Benfica (as per Football Fancast).
Midfield has been a matter of concern for the Merseyside club since the departure of Fabinho. While they signed Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo last summer, they're on the lookout to bolster their midfield following Thiago's departure.
However, Neves won't come cheap, as he has a release clause of £105 million. While Liverpool could break the bank to get Neves to Anfield, Benfica might not be willing to let the youngster go.