THREE Saudi clubs bidding for €80m Liverpool star

Liverpool forward Luis Diaz is one of several Reds’ stars facing contract uncertainty.

It’s been a tricky season for sporting director Richard Hughes - who oversaw renewals for Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah but who failed to convince Trent Alexander-Arnold that his future lay at Anfield.

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And the problems continue to come down the track in the shape of awkward renewal conversations with Ibrahima Konate and others.

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Diaz is among the large group of players whose contracts expire in 2027. However, a renewal for the Colombian is not going to be straightforward.

The 28-year-old signed a five-year deal worth £55,000 per week when he moved from Porto in 2022. Unusually for a Liverpool starter, he has not had a renewal in the subsequent time frame.

His current wage places him well beneath his fellow Liverpool forwards and given his productivity in front of goal this season he feels he is worth a lot more.

Is Diaz worth massive wage increase?

It’s been claimed in Colombia he is seeking around £140k to £150k to renew - almost trebling his current wage. Hughes has not caved to his demands as yet. But time is ticking down on his contract and Liverpool have got to weigh up their next move carefully.

They are unlikely to receive a better fee for Diaz than they would this summer. This season he has scored 17 goals - 13 in the Premier League. It’s been the best season of his Liverpool career - culminating in the Premier League title.

So Hughes has got to decide whether he thinks Diaz’s season is repeatable and whether his contributions are worth such a sizeable increase in wages.

Liverpool have got Arne Slot favourite Cody Gakpo for the left wing while a striker will be signed this summer. Diaz’s outlook could be limited next season and Liverpool do not want to be stuck with a player on high wages who is not performing.

Three Saudi clubs want Diaz

So news of a Saudi-led transfer war for Diaz might well be music to their ears over at Anfield. It’s been claimed that three top SPL teams are now competing for Diaz’s signature this summer.

With Liverpool’s asking price quoted at around €80m, a tempting offer might be enough to convince the club to sell and reinvest the funds elsewhere in the team.

“The Liverpool forward could be the subject of several bids during the summer, with Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr all preparing substantial offers to try and entice him to Saudi Arabia,” a report in Empire of the Kop states.

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The same report repeats the claim that Liverpool are set to offer Diaz the contract he wants. It remains to be seen how this one plays out.