Luis Diaz might just be the next big star out of Portugal. You don't get dubbed the 'Colombian Cristiano Ronaldo' for nothing, after all.
English-speaking fans might have first seen Diaz if they saw his worldie at Copa America last summer against Brazil. Since then, he's barely been out of the rumour mill, while clips of him bewitching defenders and wrong-footing keepers are more than common online. Reportedly, Manchester United and Liverpool have taken a closer look at the player ahead of buying him.
"Luis Diaz is a really unique winger, he's capable of cutting in or going to the byline, he's a fantastic dribbler and he always creates excitement on the ball," says Zach Lowy, a journalist who covers Portuguese football on the Breaking The Lines podcast. It's an exciting league to cover right now, of course, with so many top talents breaking through in the Primeira Liga.
Diaz has only been in European football for three years. After interest from Zenit, the winger swapped Atletico Junior for Porto, taking the lead of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez to go to Porto. National coach Carlos Queiroz being Portuguese, naturally, helped sway the decision.
Since, he's steadily been chalking up appearances for the Dragons, managing six league goals in each of his last two campaigns. That's exploded this season, with the Colombian on 14 already. Whispers of Jurgen Klopp sourcing him to succeed Sadio Mane began around Christmas: he could have his pick of Premier League sides by the end of the season, though.
Top English sides are no strangers to acquisitions from Portugal, either. Ruben Dias and Bruno Fernandes are two standout Premier League stars who have made the step up from Primeira Liga football – though Zach reckons that Diaz would start for any number of European giants.
"I think he would suit just about any club," he says. "Obviously he needs to go to a place that's an upgrade on Porto which isn't easy. He can start for a lot of different clubs like Barcelona and PSG, he's only 25 and has a lot of room to improve.
"He is a bit frail but I don't think the Prem's physicality would be an issue, he knows how to use his body to ride tackles and get into dangerous positions. He's already the best player in Portugal and I think he could be world-class."
Zach Lowy is the creator of breakingthelines.com
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