Tottenham Hotspur's chase for Luis Diaz appears all but over, with the FC Porto talisman rumoured to be on the verge of joining Liverpool after the Reds made a late move for his services.
Spurs were reported to be attempting to land the Colombian this month, but Liverpool have agreed a deal of around £37.5million for him according to reports on Friday morning.
Antonio Conte will be frustrated that one of his top targets is making the switch to a Premier League rival. Targeting the South American made plenty of sense, especially once assessing his skill set.
Diaz has experienced a promising season so far. He's typically deployed on the left wing, but his preferred right foot allows him to cut inside before attempting to score. Sadio Mane's contract is due to expire in the summer of 2023, and Diaz seems to be his long-term heir.
This season, he's found the net 14 times in the Portuguese top-flight - with none of his goals coming from the penalty spot - placing him behind only Benfica's Darwin Nunez, who has 15 to his name.
Diaz is direct, quick, aggressive and he's a keen dribbler. In this season's Champions League, only four players have completed more dribbles than his total of 17, with Mohamed Salah boasting the highest total of any Premier League player on 13.
The tricky forward recently turned 25 which is desirable, and he was always likely to move soon considering his contract is due to expire in two-and-a-half years.
Upon reflection of what he offers, it is understandable why Diaz is on Klopp's radar, especially considering he's faced Liverpool twice already this season, operating as Porto's main threat on the side of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
There is an element of risk attached to Diaz's development in Portugal compared to what he would face in the Premier League, but both Spurs and Liverpool seemed confident enough that his ability would translate in a stronger division.
Conte must now turn his attention to other players. The Italian will be frustrated that both Diaz and Adama Traore - his two primary targets for January - are both moving elsewhere, but the club still have time over the weekend to secure productive deals.
