Diaz’s value has risen dramatically since joining Liverpool from Porto in January
Even though Liverpool lost two more points at Anfield on Monday night, the mood could have been even more depressing if it hadn’t been for Luis Diaz’s flash of brilliance.
After Darwin Nunez was sent off in the 57th minute for an absurd headbutt on Joachim Andersen and Liverpool fell behind to Wilfried Zaha’s first-half sucker punch, Colombian winger Diaz decided to create an equalizer as Liverpool were constantly thwarted by Crystal Palace’s back five.
The 25-year-old slid in from the left, avoiding each of the white shirts’ challenges before unleashing an unstoppable attempt beyond Vicente Guaita. It gave Liverpool the motivation to attack despite their numerical disadvantage, and it gave Anfield a significant boost at a critical time. They kept knocking on the door because the winner was nowhere to be found.
Although Reds manager Jurgen Klopp didn’t have a specific goal in mind, his team’s performance would have frequently been enough to secure three points with ease. When Nunez was sent off early in the second half, the game plan was thrown out the window, and someone had to step up. After a quiet first half, Diaz demonstrated his elite credentials and rising stature to be the game’s MVP.
Despite the fact that Diaz joined Liverpool from Porto at the tail end of the January transfer window, his time with the club is only seven months old, despite the fact that he feels like he has been a member for a long time.
He has won over Reds fans with his talent, determination, and work ethic, and he appears to be a mainstay of the forward line for years to come, marking another accomplishment in the hiring process.
Diaz’s soaring reputation and market value will have come as a surprise even to them. Liverpool typically seeks to add players whose worth and potential have not yet been realized.
signed a contract for a base fee of £37 million, with a guaranteed increase to £49 million if certain objectives are met. It has already proven to be a great deal by market value standards.
Diaz’s value at Porto already had a sort of ceiling because he played in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, Europe’s sixth-largest league. However, in comparison to other European football players, his value has increased the most since joining Liverpool due to his contribution to the world’s biggest league.
Tottenham Hotspur were left disappointed after attempting to secure a deal for their player, as Porto had a £67 million release clause on Diaz. However, in order to settle short-term debts before the transfer window closed, Porto accepted a lower offer from Liverpool, who paid €8 million immediately to help Porto’s cash flow problems.
Diaz’s transfer value, which takes into account contribution, contract term, league, and other factors, is now as high as £100 million, according to researchers at the Swiss-based CIES Football Observatory. That is a £64 million increase over the guaranteed sum Liverpool paid to hire him.
With that sum, he surpasses Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold as the Liverpool player with the highest transfer value right now. In the Premier League, he ranks third only to Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Erling Haaland.
His development as a player on whom Liverpool can rely during critical moments contributes to the sharp increase in the value of his services.
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