Luis Diaz causes unrest in Spanish media as 'asterisk' raised over Barcelona transfer

could be Barcelona-bound this summer, with the winger having been reportedly eyed up by the La Liga side. It comes ahead of what's shaping up to be a hectic summer of incomings and outgoings at Anfield.

Diaz put pen to paper on a five-and-a-half-year deal back in January 2022, with Liverpool splashing £37million to bring him from Porto to the Premier League. Since then, the Colombian international has appeared 147 times, netting 41 goals and assisting a further 21. But is his time with the Reds coming to an end?

Despite the mooted interest from the club's side, there are question marks from the Barcelona press over whether Diaz would suit Hansi Flick's set-up. Speaking in an interview with , international football specialist Bruno Alemany believes Diaz would arrive with an "asterisk".

He said: "It's true that he has an asterisk: he's a fairly inconsistent player. He can go three weeks without appearing, although he usually puts in good performances in big games. But in terms of pure performance, he's a player who struggles to find consistency."

Meanwhile, Portuguese journalist Miguel Pereira, who followed the attacker's career closely at Porto, has reservations about whether Diaz would be happy to play second fiddle to Raphinha. He explained to the outlet: "Technically, I think he's one of the most talented players in the world right now.

"He's a player who can contribute a lot to Flick's aggressive style, although signing Luis Diaz as Raphinha's backup wouldn't suit me because he's a player who's fit to start for any team in the world . I don't know to what extent his character would allow him to endure a long substitution. It's true that he can also play on the other side; at Porto, I saw him play a few games on the right wing, but there you have Lamine [Yamal], who is the best in the world."

That doesn't mean to say there isn't a buzz around the proposed transfer, with journalist Marc Mayola insisting Diaz would be a fine addition to the squad. He said: "Diaz is not a box-to-box striker, but he is a high-energy striker, with a sharp, vertical gaze toward goal, who breaks away aggressively, who can score goals, and who combines. A very aggressive player in everything he does, including his pressing. He's a very Raphinha-like profile, if you're being clear."