Liverpool are claimed to have slapped a €75m (£63.8m) price tag on Luis Diaz as Barcelona plot an approach.
Such a fee is likely to be too high for the Nou Camp club, who are continuing to battle La Liga spending restrictions amid their ongoing mass debt. Speculation around Diaz’s future has been fuelled by the observation that he has not been handed a renewal contract after impressive performances in his two-and-a-half years at Anfield.
However, the 27-year-old still has three years left on his current deal, with Liverpool in no rush to make immediate plans for his future despite ongoing rumours that link Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
READ MORE: Liverpool should sign three players from England squad
READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE
As such, Spanish outlet Diario AS claims that Liverpool would not entertain anything less than £63m for Diaz, if a club was to make an approach. Sport says Barcelona had made Diaz their primary winger target, but it is thought the Spanish giants would be restricted in other transfer plans if they dished out such an amount.
Meanwhile, reports emerged on Friday linking Newcastle United winger Yankuba Minteh with Liverpool after a successful loan spell at Feyenoord under Arne Slot last season, where he scored 11 goals and recorded six assists in 37 matches.
Newcastle may be forced to reluctantly sell up due to their battles against Premier League spending rules, and have set a price of £40m. The price could be pushed higher, given the Telegraph reports that clubs in Italy and Germany are also keen on the 19-year-old.
Minteh has played just over 50 senior games in his fledgling career, and Michael Edwards and Slot may be hesitant to permit a big spend on Minteh when more experienced options are available, amid the need for other areas to be strengthened too.
Minteh has yet to make his Premier League bow and is still waiting for his Newcastle debut having been loaned to Feyenoord shortly after arriving at St James’ Park for £6.5m from Danish club Odense last summer.