Former Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic has revealed he was quizzed on Luis Diaz by current members of Jurgen Klopp's side after the Reds' Champions League win over Porto in November.
Grujic, who made a total of 16 first-team appearances during his Anfield stay, joined the Portuguese side on a permanent basis last summer after spending the previous season on loan at the club.
Operating within the same side as Diaz during this period, the Serbia international has become accustomed to the high performance levels of the Colombian star.
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Liverpool's initial plan was to sign the Porto talisman during the summer transfer window, but interest from Tottenham Hotspur prompted a change in approach.
Meetings with the Portuguese league leaders during this season's Champions League provided the Reds with a closer look at their transfer target, and it has emerged that members of Klopp's team were also doing their due diligence on Diaz.
“Some people from the club asked me what Luis was like as a person,” Grujic told The Athletic.
“They asked me about his behaviour off the field. I told them that he was a great guy who would fit easily into any group of lads. I also spoke a bit with Luis about Liverpool. Luis was very happy that a club like Liverpool were interested in him.”
Diaz's 14 league goals this campaign have helped Porto to top spot in the Portuguese first division, though the Dragons must now continue their title charge without their star man.
Admitting that his January switch to Liverpool came as a surprise to the team, Grujic has no doubt in his mind that the Reds' new recruit will be a major loss.
“As players, we didn’t expect it to happen. It all happened so fast after Luis went away with the national team so we didn’t get to say a proper goodbye to him,” said the Serbian.
"We will miss him so much because he’s a great player. He scored a lot of important goals for us.
"Any squad losing someone of his calibre would miss him because he has the quality to make a big difference in games. He’s capable of changing games in the space of just one second.
“I don’t see any other option than a successful relationship between Luis, the club and the fans. I’m already seeing that the fans are loving him because of his technical and offensive qualities.
"I’m sure the Liverpool fans will get more and more excited about Luis because he has so much to offer.”
