“Liverpool FC has completed the signing of Luis Diaz from Porto.”
It’s the sentence every Reds fan has been waiting to hear throughout the entire month of January, and the Colombian has finally signed on the dotted line – the club has confirmed!
Posting a statement on the official club website, Liverpool announced that Diaz had signed a “long-term contract” – reported to be until 2027 by BBC – after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.
Luis Diaz – who will wear the number 23 shirt – will not arrive at Anfield until he has completed his international duty for Colombia, though, which includes a World Cup qualifier against Argentina on Tuesday evening.
"“Liverpool Football Club have completed the signing of Luis Diaz from FC Porto, subject to the successful granting of a work permit and international clearance.“The 25-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the Reds after passing a medical and finalising personal terms.”"
While the club remain coy on the specifics, the fee is reported to be £37.5m up front with another £12.7m in potential add-ons, according to Danny Gallagher of the Daily Express. Gallagher adds that Diaz’s wage is reported to be £90,000-per-week – adding that the transfer is the first piece of business by Liverpool’s new sporting director Julian Ward.
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Diaz scored 41 goals in 125 appearances for Porto, where he spent two and a half seasons. 14 of his goals came in 18 league starts for the Portuguese club this year, and the Colombian also faced off against Liverpool twice in Champions League action.
For his native Colombia, Diaz has been capped 31 times and has scored 7 international goals.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp spoke of his delight at signing the player, who seemed destined for Tottenham Hotspur.
"“I could not be happier that we’ve been able to get this deal done and bring Luis to Liverpool”, Klopp said.“I have always been a believer in only signing players in January if you would want to sign them in the summer, and that’s very much the case with Luis."
Klopp added that Liverpool have been tracking the “outstanding” Diaz for a long time.
"“He is an outstanding player and someone we’ve been tracking for a very long time.“This team deserved to add quality and when we played against Luis earlier this season, we saw what a danger he is, how fast he is and how his mentality was to help his team.”"
The club are already selling replica kits with Diaz’s name and number on the back, which you can buy here.
Everyone at Rush The Kop wishes Luis Diaz well as he embarks on his Liverpool career. Vamos, Luis!