By Katie Catherall
Luis Diaz insists he's "very happy and relaxed" amid ongoing speculation linking him with a move away from Liverpool.
The 27-year-old played 37 Premier League games for Liverpool last season, registering eight goals as the Reds cemented a third-place finish behind Manchester City and Arsenal.
Diaz has been regularly linked with an exit from Liverpool, who he joined from Porto three years ago, with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona touted as potential destinations.
Reports in Spain have suggested that Diaz is Barcelona's top transfer target, despite their ongoing financial woes, but the winger's latest comments - in the wake of Colombia's 5-1 thrashing of the United States - suggest he has no intention of leaving Anfield.
“I’m very happy there at Liverpool, it’s a great team and club, I’ve always wanted to play there, so I’m very happy and relaxed," Diaz told Gol Caracol. "I’m not thinking about anything else, I’m thinking about the Colombia national team, which is where we are.”
Rumours of PSG's interest in Diaz has heightened after Kylian Mbappe's move to Real Madrid was confirmed, but the Ligue 1 giants will have to stump a significant fee to persuade Liverpool to sell - Diaz has three years remaining on his contract and cost the Reds a £50m total package when arriving from Portugal.
Barcelona, meanwhile, may need to move players on in order to fund their summer transfer business, with former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick tasked with steadying the ship after Xavi's acrimonious departure.
The Catalan giants are willing to part ways with Raphinha, reports suggest, and a swap deal involving Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has been even floated. But to fund a move for Diaz, Barcelona will need to cash-in and receive a significant transfer fee for Raphinha or any other player -something clubs in Saudi Arabia may be able to help with as they continue to spend freely.
Diaz's attention will be focused on national team duty for the next few weeks, with Colombia hoping to win a first Copa America title in 23 years. The tournament gets underway on June 20, with its conclusion on July 14 coinciding with the Euro 2024 final.
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as Barcelona-linked Luis Diaz makes feelings clear on potential Liverpool exit.
