OFFICIAL: Liverpool complete the signing of Luis Diaz in deal worth £50m

Liverpool have completed the signing of Porto winger Luis Diaz in a deal worth around £50million.

The Reds have agreed a fee of £37.5million with the Portuguese giants, plus around £12.5million in potential add-ons and bonuses. The release clause in Diaz's contract with Porto stood at £67million.

Liverpool had long been admirers of the 25-year-old, who has emerged as one of the most exciting talents in European football, and were thought to be planning to wait until the summer to make a formal approach.

However, the Reds stepped up their interest late in the January transfer window after Tottenham and Manchester United were linked with the Colombia international, who has scored 14 goals in 18 league appearances so far this season.

Spurs had an offer of £38million reportedly turned down earlier this week, before Liverpool stole a march on them by sending a delegation to South America - where Diaz was on international duty - to meet the player and conduct a medical.

Diaz has faced Liverpool twice this season, with Porto losing 5-0 at home and 2-0 at Anfield in the Champions League.

A fast and direct winger capable of scoring spectacular goals and setting up teammates, Diaz was the joint top scorer at the Copa America last year, finishing level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi on four goals.

He has won 31 caps for Colombia, with the most recent coming in the Cafeteros' 1-0 defeat against Peru in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers on Friday night.

His arrival will strengthen Liverpool's already formidable front-line, which has barely missed a beat despite the absences of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, who are on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The pair will both turn 30 before the beginning of the season and with Mane's contract entering its final 18 months, Liverpool see Diaz as the ideal candidate to refresh their options up front.

Liverpool:

Liverpool Football Club have completed the signing of Luis Diaz from FC Porto, subject to the successful granting of a work permit and international clearance.

The 25-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the Reds after passing a medical and finalising personal terms.

Diaz will arrive on Merseyside once he has completed international duty with Colombia, who face Argentina in a World Cup qualifier in Cordoba on Tuesday evening.

He joins Liverpool after two-and-a-half seasons with FC Porto, where he made 125 appearances and scored 41 goals, and will wear the No.23 shirt.

The forward faced the Reds twice in this season’s Champions League group stage with the Portuguese side and had netted 14 times in 18 league runouts this term.

He had previously represented Barranquilla FC and Junior FC in his homeland before making the switch to Europe in 2019.

To date, Diaz has 31 caps for Colombia, with seven goals for his country.