Liverpool winger Luis Diaz makes La Liga transfer…

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz makes La Liga transfer admission and lifts lid on Lionel Messi meeting

Luis Diaz had admitted he has a "childish dream" to play in Spain - but is only focused on earning silverware with Liverpool.

Diaz has proven a huge success since arriving from Porto for £50million in January, starting the League Cup and FA Cup final victories over Chelsea and also the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.

The 25-year-old was arguably Liverpool's most impressive outfield player this season before being sidelined by a knee injury suffered at Arsenal on October 9. He is expected to return to action during next month's warm-weather training camp in Dubai where the Reds play friendlies against Lyon and AC Milan.

And while Diaz has revealed a boyhood wish to play in La Liga, his concentration remains solely on Jurgen Klopp's side.

"I would like to play for a Spanish club that has always attracted my family's attention, but it is more of a childish dream," he said.

"Now I only think about lifting trophies and making history with Liverpool, which is one of the biggest clubs in the world. I am very grateful for the opportunity they have given me."

Of the Champions League final, Diaz added: "The night before, I practically didn't sleep. I was thinking about what would happen the next day. But knowing that it was there, remembering how difficult it had been to get there, was incredible. I said to myself that I'm here, I have to do and give my best. Playing in the Champions League final is another level. I am proud of how far I have come."

Diaz was speaking in a wide-ranging interview with SoHo magazine in Colombia, where he explained his love of music, why he enjoys returning home to Barrancas, the influence of his family on his career and his reluctance to speak to the media in general.

And he admitted to being amazed by even some of his own achievements. "I try to analyse what I do well and what I do wrong, to learn and be better," he said. "And sometimes I watch those videos and I'm like, wow! I myself don't know how I do certain things on the field."

Diaz has also detailed how he struggled to keep his composure when coming face-to-face with Lionel Messi for the first time while on international duty with Colombia.

"I almost died, I almost said 'I love you' and everything, haha!" said the Liverpool man. "Truly, he has always been my reference. My great idol was Ronaldinho, but since he is retired I was never able to play against him. The day I meet him, I am really going to die!

"I love Messi. The first time I had contact with him was in a Colombian game in Barranquilla, but I didn't start; I was just starting out in the national team. And then I came across him in the Copa America two years ago and it was a great emotion.

"I haven't exchanged shirts with him. But I already have his, I asked him through another player, he signed it for me and everything, he put it 'with affection for Luis'. My life is already sorted with that shirt! I also have those of Cristiano (Ronaldo) and Neymar. With those three, what more can I ask for? And mine. I have several shirts lying around to frame."

Regardless of his injury, Diaz would not have taken part in the ongoing World Cup in Qatar with Colombia having failed in the South American qualifiers.

And he said: "It hurts. It hurts too much. It was the first World Cup that I was going to attend. Sometimes I would like to turn back time, because I don't believe it. Also, we had a great team. And seeing that the time has come is hard. We'll have to wait until the next World Cup."

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