It is no secret that Liverpool have been crying out for a quality attacker ever since Sadio Mané and Mo Salah departed for AFCON. The Reds' search for a goalscoring wideman has led them to hijack Tottenham's pursuit of Colombian winger Luis Díaz. Now that the £37.5 million deal is about to be concluded, it is time to focus on what the Porto winger will bring to Anfield.
A quick, skillful and direct attacking winger, Luis Díaz has been in electric form this season- with 14 goals and 4 assists in 18 Liga NOS games so far. It is therefore no surprise that the battle for his signature is intense- a battle Liverpool have now all but won.
With both Mané and Salah contesting the latter stages of the AFCON with their respective countries, Díaz will be required to hit the ground running for Liverpool to keep pace with runaway league leaders Manchester City. Given the Colombian's exploits with Porto this season, the Merseysiders have reason to believe Díaz can thrive alongside Jota and Firmino to keep the Reds' attack firing.
Luis Díaz is very similar to Sadio Mané in terms of position and playing style- a left-sided inside forward. With the Senegalese now 29 and seemingly on the wane, the Colombian might be his perfect long-term replacement. On the flip side, the new signing could spark a resurgence in Mané's form due to an increase in competition for a starting berth.
Liverpool are paying well below Díaz's release clause at Porto to sign the attacker. This might prove to be another ingenious piece of business by Liverpool FC. Julian Ward, the successor to Liverpool's legendary sporting director Michael Edwards, is believed to have led negotiations for Díaz's signature. Along with a superb player, the Reds also seem to have discovered the next gem in the boardroom. The signing of Luis Díaz might signal the beginning of a new era at Anfield.