Barcelona are suffering the far-reaching consequences of their ongoing financial problems, according to reports.
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz is understood to be one of the top transfer targets for the Catalan giants but the club’s usual powers of attraction are reportedly weakened by concerns over their financial situation.
Spanish authorities have limited Barcelona’s ability to register new players due to their lack of compliance with La Liga’s financial controls and their clout in the transfer market is taking a hit.
Agents are wary of Barcelona’s issues
Spanish international Dani Olmo was the highest profile signing affected by the champions’ constraints. After joining Barcelona from RB Leipzig last summer, Olmo wasn’t registered immediately and didn’t play until January.
According to the Mirror, Barcelona’s failure to sign Athletic Club winger Nico Williams was due in part to the player’s representatives pushing to protect Williams from the negative consequences of a potential non-registration.
“It is reported that Williams wanted a release clause in place to accommodate for the possibility of not being registered,” according to the Mirror, highlighting the absurd complications of the modern transfer market.
AS reports that Diaz’s representatives have sought to protect their player’s interests in such circumstances by requesting that a ‘sporting damage’ compensation clause be included in any contract.
Diaz featured heavily as Liverpool won the Premier League title in 2024-25, starting 28 times and appearing in 36 of the Reds’ 38 league matches under Arne Slot.
Only Mohamed Salah scored more than the Colombian’s 13 Premier League goals and Liverpool, understandably, are understood to want to hold on to an important player who has two years left on his contract.
The signings of Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez promise to alter how Liverpool’s left-hand side operates but the Reds will be expected to compete on four fronts again in 2025-26 and Diaz would enjoy plenty of playing time again.
If negotiations with Liverpool don’t bear fruit and the 28-year-old does leave Anfield, Barcelona aren’t the only European football titan interested in him.
Barca sporting director Deco will be aware of the admiring gaze upon Diaz from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, who have been linked with the winger throughout this transfer window.
According to reports in Germany, Bayern and Diaz have discussed a possible move to the Allianz Arena this summer.
It would bring to an end a successful period for the former Porto star, who joined Liverpool in 2022 and has added all three domestic trophies to the two league titles he won in Portugal.
