Liverpool are closing in on a spectacular late transfer window coup, with a deal for rising star Luis Diaz.
It is understood a fee of around £37.5m is on the table with his club Porto, with a further £12.5m in additional payments depending on performance.
That has seen the Merseyside club jump ahead of Manchester United and Tottenham in the race to sign the 25 year old, who is seen as a goalscoring wide player in the mould of Sadio Mane and Mo Salah.
The winger has emerged as one of the hottest properties in world football after starring for his nation Colombia at the Copa America last summer, where he finished as joint top scorer with Lionel Messi.
Diaz came to the attention of Europe’s top clubs when he scored a spectacular 25-yard 94th-minute winner to give his country victory in the third place play-off with Peru.
Join the debate! Is £50m for Luis Diaz a good deal for Liverpool? Have your say in the comments.
Luis Diaz to Liverpool: Jorge Mendes stalled Tottenham bid despite fees agreed
Read more: Liverpool's reasons for Luis Diaz transfer clear as Reds hijack deal
And he has maintained that stunning form this season with Porto, helping the Portuguese side to the top of the Primeira Liga with 14 goals and five assists in 18 matches, with two more in the Champions League.
He has been on the radar of clubs such as Barcelona and Atletico Madrid along with United and Spurs for some time, with scouts flocking the Porto games.
Liverpool themselves are reported to have watched him five times in recent months, and got a first hand view of his talents when the two teams met in the group stages of the Champions League.
The forward had a release clause of £67m in his contract, but Porto were left cash-strapped after finishing third in their Champions League group to the Reds and Atletico, and agreed to accept a significantly lower offer.
It has been reported in Portugal that the club had higher bids from other clubs, but Diaz was adamant that he only wanted to go to Liverpool, which led to the reduced fee.
The winger is seen as a perfect fit for the Reds forward line, and a long term option with their famous front three all immersed in contract negotiations.
Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino will all see their contracts expire in the summer of 2023, and so far no agreement has been reached with them.
Diaz started his career in Colombia with Atletico Junior, and quickly emerged as a rising star, prompting Porto to pay £6m for his services.
It is understood a deal could be confirmed in the coming hours, with Liverpool intent on getting the deal over the line before the weekend.
