Porto might be the archetypal ‘selling club’ but that does not mean the Primeira Liga champions are happy to let their prized assets walk away from the Estadio do Dragao on the cheap.
When Tottenham came calling for Luis Diaz over the summer, Porto made their stance clear.
Unless Spurs triggered the £72 million release clause in the contract of a 23-year-old winger who was plying his trade back home in Colombia as recently as July, Diaz was going nowhere (DesPorto).
But, during Porto’s Champions League opener against Manchester City on Wednesday, their latest South American sensation offered a tantalising insight into exactly why the Dragoes were refusing to sell for anything less than a club-record fee.
There appeared to be nothing on when Diaz picked up a loose ball just inside his own half.
Seconds later, Diaz was wheeling away in celebration after scoring a stunning solo goal that even a peak-era Lionel Messi would have been proud to call his own.
Turning on the afterburners and tearing through City’s defence at the speed of light, the Colombia international left Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo trailing in his wake before fizzing a brilliant shot into the far corner.
One goal alone is not enough to justify a £72 million price-tag.
But, if Tottenham fans were wondering why Porto were taking such a hardnosed approach to negotiations, Diaz’s masterclass in Manchester should explain exactly why.
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