Everton were ‘so confident’ that they would sign Luis Diaz last summer before Premier League rivals Liverpool snapped up the former Porto winger for a cool £37 million, as reported by The Athletic.
It’s no secret that Everton wanted to bring the jet-heeled Colombia international to Goodison Park in 2021.
According to the all-seeing, all-knowing Fabrizio Romano, Diaz was prioritising a summer switch to Merseyside. The Toffees submitted a £25 million August bid for a man who exploded onto the scene with some truly outstanding performances at the Copa America.
Five months later, Diaz would finally arrive in the North West.
But, much to Everton’s frustration, the 25-year-old winger is now strutting his stuff in the red of Liverpool. He’s making some impression too.
Diaz has already scored twice in the Premier League. And, in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Brighton, he produced a performance that team-mate Andy Robertson described as ‘unplayable’.
Everton’s one that got away is Liverpool’s new hero
There is a chance that Diaz could end his debut season at Liverpool as a Premier League and Champions League winner.
As for Everton…
Well, lets just say that silverware and European football is the last thing on their minds right now, as the foul breath of the relegation maw lingers over Goodison Park.
According to The Athletic, Everton were ‘so confident’ of signing Diaz some five months before he ended up at Liverpool. They even started looking for accommodation for the 33-cap Colombia international.
A deal fell through, however, after James Rodriguez – who was supposed to return to Porto as part of the deal – priced himself out of a move to the Estadio do Dragao.
Rodriguez, Everton’s highest earner at the time, would eventually end up in the Middle East. His £200,000-a-week deal was torn up last summer.
“I am happy for him,” James said of his fellow Colombian.
“We hope he continues on that path. Colombia needs players of that quality. And we hope the young people who come, come with that same hunger and a lot of quality.
“Colombia needs that kind of player.”
So do Everton.
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