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Liverpool have turned down an approach from Barcelona for Luis Diaz, with the Reds determined to keep hold of the Colombia international.

As the ECHO reported on Wednesday, the Premier League champions have no intention of selling their 17-goal winger this summer, despite interest from Barca and clubs from the Saudi Pro League, including Al-Nassr, and that stance has now been borne out with a refusal to enter into negotiations with the La Liga side.

Barca's approach was made on Wednesday but Anfield officials were unequivocal in their insistence that Diaz is not for sale, with Arne Slot keen to keep the former Porto wideman at the club after seeing him become an integral part of the frontline department.



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It's unclear how much Barca were willing to pay for Diaz but Slot and his staff view the 28-year-old as a vital part of the attack, having seen him score 13 Premier League goals across two positions in the 24/25 campaign.

The left-winger was asked to lead the line in a more central role at times last term while Diogo Jota recovered from an upper body issue that left him sidelined for close to four months.

With Al-Hilal willing to bid a reported fee of around £100m for Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes - who is two years older than Diaz - Liverpool feel the market rate has been set, should interest from the Saudi Pro League develop into something more concrete.

Liverpool had been baffled by the speculation linking Diaz with a move away from Anfield prior to Barca's tentative approach on Wednesday and the player himself has repeated his happiness on Merseyside in recent weeks and expressed his hope of talks over a new deal.

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“Since the first day I arrived, I’ve always been happy, calm, enjoying the football played at this great team," Diaz told Telemundo last month.

It also depends on the club, everything.

But I’m very calm, happy and enjoying the Premier League."

In a separate interview with official club channels after the club's city-wide parade with the Premier League trophy, Diaz reiterated: "I’m really happy to be here, to be part of this great institution, this great club and to have great team-mates around me.

"From the moment I arrived, I felt great pride.

I always tried to work hard for this, and to see that nowadays things are working out for me fills me with pride and I’m really happy because that’s what I work for."

With two years left on his current terms that were penned when he joined from Porto in January 2022, it's understood the club have no plans to open up discussions with Diaz's representatives over a new deal as things stand.

Barca have been linked with both Diaz and Manchester United attacker Marcus Rashford and may turn their attention to the England international, who was on loan at Aston Villa from January, now their approach for the Liverpool star has been firmly rejected.

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"Of course, these two players (Diaz and Rashford)," sporting director Deco said on Monday, "they are good but have contracts in their clubs, so we won't speak because it's not fair.

"But when you decide to go to the market, for sure, we find some names.

We are proud because Barcelona is still such a big club, and the way we are playing football makes players want to come."


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