Tough blow for FC Barcelona's sports planning, as they increasingly see how their main options to reinforce the left wing are becoming more and more complicated, bordering on the utopian. The first of these is Nico Williams, although the Blaugrana club still hopes to have him for the next season, it is increasingly evident that he could continue at Athletic Club, at least for another year.
Now, the Catalan side will have to face the setback of another option they were considering to strengthen the left wing: Luis Díaz. Why? Because Liverpool has closed the doors to a possible departure of the Colombian from the club this summer. This was affirmed by the English club's coach, Arne Slot, who came out to deny any rumors placing him away from Anfield.
"Luis Díaz's future is with us. I really like what I've seen from him. He has had a great impact on the game and I like him a lot", revealed the coach. Under this premise, it seems that the Dutch coach will count on 'Lucho' as his starting left winger, ruling out any possibility of him leaving in this summer transfer window, at least not easily.
It is important to remember that this negotiation presented many complexities, as apparently the only advantage Barcelona had was that Díaz was excited about the idea of joining the Catalan club, but this probably was not enough to start a negotiation, especially considering that the transfer fees may not be the most affordable, probably starting from the €75 million that currently mark his market value. For a Catalan side that has not yet clarified its situation regarding the 1/1 rule and player registration, matching this amount could be challenging, especially if there are no significant revenue-generating departures.
What is left for FC Barcelona now?
Although there is still a slight hope regarding the incorporation of Nico Williams, it seems clear that the Catalan squad will have to consider another 'Plan B', which according to various reports, could involve the arrival of Kingsley Coman through a loan. However, other options are not ruled out, and it is even possible that Barcelona will end the transfer window without making any additions, relying on players like Raphinha, Dani Olmo, and even Ansu Fati to reinforce that position.