Barcelona’s plans to strengthen their attack have taken a hit as they shift focus away from a high-profile Premier League star.
The Catalan giants, looking to add pace and creativity to their attack, identified the 28-year-old winger, who was crucial in Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning side, as their number one option, but now they have turned their attention to alternative options following events during the week.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the player is Luis Diaz, the Colombian international.
Barcelona’s latest attempt to buy Liverpool on Wednesday was rejected, with Liverpool firmly against selling Diaz and Barcelona having their last unsuccessful pursuit similar to that in the previous summer.
Given Liverpool’s firm stance and the fact that Barcelona cannot afford a financial remuneration to sway Liverpool’s decision, the La Liga champions have withdrawn from the competition as it was unlikely they would change Liverpool’s mind.
This development represents a shift in Barcelona’s transfer policy, and now other options will be taken into consideration.
Names such as Marcus Rashford of Manchester United and Ademola Lookman of Atalanta have emerged as possible alternatives to strengthen the left wing position.
As for Diaz, his future is still uncertain, with reports that Saudi club Al-Nassr will make a sizable bid to tempt Liverpool.
Now, Barcelona must look to find a player that can provide the same attacking power as Diaz while adhering to their spending power.
Nevertheless, this incident reflects the hurdles that the Blaugrana face in their constant battle for top-class players, but the search for alternatives represents the club’s ambition to add to their squad as they gear up for the coming season.
As Barcelona pivot to new targets, their withdrawal from the race for the Premier League star underscores the challenges of securing top talent in a competitive transfer market.
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