Barcelona dealt blow as rival European club ready to meet asking price to sign club's top priority target: Reports

Barcelona have dealt a major blow in their pursuit of Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz with Bayern Munich reportedly ready to meet the Reds' asking price. Diaz's future has been subject to strong speculation in recent weeks with a host of clubs interested in his services.

Diaz's current deal at Anfield expires in 2027, and even though he is an important player at Anfield, a new deal does not look on the cards. Liverpool are reportedly ready to cash in on the fleet-footed forward this summer and want between €70 and €80 million for the 28-year-old.

As claimed by Spanish outlet SPORT via Barca Universal, Barcelona deem the Reds' asking price for Diaz too high. They are believed to be unwilling to spend more than €60 million for the Colombia international.

However, the report suggests that Bayern Munich are ready to meet the Merseyside giants' asking price for Diaz. Barca are reportedly considering backtracking from the deal as they believe that they cannot compete with the Bavarian giants.

It now looks incredibly likely that Bayern Munich will land the technically gifted winger in the summer. Barcelona have now reportedly shifted their attention to Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.

Luis Diaz joined Liverpool in January 2022 from Portuguese side FC Porto in a deal worth reported £37.5 million. He has scored 41 goals and provided 23 assists in 148 appearances for the Merseyside giants till date.

The Colombian played a pivotal role in helping Arne Slot's side secure the Premier League title last season. He scored 17 goals and provided eight assists in 50 appearances across competitions in the 2024-25 season.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas provides positive update on Barcelona transfer activity

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has provided an update on Barcelona's transfer activity. He has confirmed that the Blaugrana are close to balancing their books.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has claimed that the Blaugrana are in a situation where they can afford to spend big on players once again. He said, as quoted by Barca Blaugranes:

Barca found themselves in complete financial turmoil since Josep Bartomeu's tenure as president. They made several big-money signings between 2014 and 2020 and most of them were flops.

The club also handed out big contracts to several players, which impacted their financial health. They have somewhat tackled the situation by taking drastic measures since Joan Laporta took over as president.

Edited by Snehanjan Banerjee