Everton offered £25 million plus James Rodriguez for Luis Diaz before Porto decided to reject an approach from the Premier League giants, as reported by Correio da Manha.
If Rafa Benitez could choose between a pair of Colombian forwards – one at the start of his career and another who celebrated his 30th birthday two months ago – you don’t need to be a mind reader to realise which one the veteran tactician would pick.
Because while James Rodriguez is proving to be little more than a £200,000-a-week drain on Everton’s resources – a tape deck in Benitez’s Tesla – Luis Diaz could hardly look better suited to the Spaniard’s new-look Toffees side.
Direct, dynamic and blessed with feet quicker than a professional salsa dancer after six cans of Red Bull, Diaz would have slotted in seamlessly alongside the likes of Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray at Goodison Park.
Why did Porto reject Everton’s Luis Diaz bid?
Unfortunately, a proposed £25 million player-plus-cash deal – one that would have seen three-time Primeira Liga champion James return to the Estadio do Dragao on a season-long loan deal – failed to get off the ground.
According to The Athletic, 24-year-old Diaz was keen on the idea of swapping Iberia for Merseyside.
Porto coach Sergio Conceicao wasn’t so keen, however. And, after some deliberation, the 2003 European Champions came to the conclusion they would be better off retaining Diaz for another couple of months.
Given the way Diaz has started the new campaign – scoring five goals in seven games already – that decision is already looking like the right one.
If he’s attracting offers in the region of £25 million now, imagine how much Porto could demand if Diaz drags them to domestic glory in May.
“There’s been a fair bit of Premier League interest in Diaz over the last couple of years from Liverpool. And, more recently I’m led to understand, from Tottenham and Chelsea,” South American expert Tim Vickery told talkSPORT during the final throes of the transfer window.
“He’s a winger, usually plays wide-left cutting on to his right foot. There’s a goal in him.
“He had a fantastic Copa America. He scored four goals, and each of them was better than the last. They were sensational goals.”
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