The news that Liverpool are close to signing Luis Diaz from Porto has come out of the blue. It looks like the transfer is days if not hours away from completion.
It's high time to meet the 25-year-old Colombia international who could not have even dreamt about playing at such a level just seven years ago.
Background
Luis Diaz grew up in one of the poorest regions of Colombia, La Guajira, not far from the border with Venezuela, according to the Daily Mail.
The winger was spotted by Colombian legend Carlos Valderrama during trials for the Copa America of Indigenous People in 2015. The biggest concern about the kid was that he was dangerously underweight - malnutrition is a common cause of death among children of the indigenous Wayuu people.
Still, he got signed with second-tier side Barranquilla and was put on a special diet that helped him gain 10kg.
After that he did not look back - it only took him three years to make a debut for the national team and four years to make a jump to Porto.
Playing style
The 25-year-old is primarily a left winger whose preferred move is cutting inside and shooting with his right foot.
It has been effective in Portugal and especially so this season as he has scored 16 goals in 28 games across all competitions. He has also registered four assists, so it's not only about shooting.
As per WhoScored, he leads his Porto teammates in goals, shots (3.5 per game), key passes (2.2 per game) and dribbles (2.6 per game) in the league this season.
His defensive contribution is listed as a weakness, but it could well be a result of him playing for one of the top sides in the league.
Premier League interest
Diaz could've made a jump to the Premier League as early as 2019 when Cardiff City tried to recruit him for just £7 million. The move fell through, and Cardiff got relegated soon anyway.
Intriguingly, two years later Diaz could end up on Merseyside: Everton considered a swap deal that would've seen James Rodriguez return to Porto in exchange for the Colombian, with Rafa Benitez keen on the deal.
Diaz held out for bigger clubs, however, and they have come this month after Tottenham made a bid for him. Liverpool decided to act six months early and sign the winger in January.
What's been said
Liverpool keeper Alisson is one of the players who's fully aware of Diaz having played against him four times in the past couple of years.
"Luis Diaz is an excellent player, he does a lot of work for the defence, he did it in the goals of Copa America. In Porto, he comes with good performances," he said before a game between Brazil and Colombia back in November.
Naturally, Diaz has also received a lot of praise from his Porto teammates, including ex-Real Madrid star Pepe.
"Luis Díaz is the example of the professionalism and passion we have in playing for FC Porto, we know of the importance of wearing this shirt, and I am proud to share the locker room with Luis Díaz and others," Pepe said earlier in the season, as per Mirror.
Judging by the recent reports, they won't be sharing the locker room for much longer - hopefully, he'll be as popular at his new club if the transfer goes through.
