Sources: Liverpool star’s stance on new contract revealed as Reds get ‘green light’ for negotiations

Liverpool are set to open talks with Luis Diaz over a new contract in an attempt to stave off interest in his signature, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk.

The Colombian winger was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona over the summer but ultimately the LaLiga giants didn’t have the funds to lure him away from Anfield.

Diaz has started the season on fire with five goals and one assist from his first five Premier League matches and now the Reds are ready to reward him with a lucrative new deal.

Football Insider claimed on Monday that Liverpool had been ‘given the green light’ to open contract talks with Diaz following his explosive start to the campaign.

Talks are expected to commence imminently and Liverpool are hopeful of reaching an agreement with the winger soon.

This comes after reports suggested that the Merseyside club were ‘frustrated’ by Diaz’s entourage ‘actively encouraging the Barcelona speculation.’

But Liverpool seem to have put that behind them, as they view Diaz as a vital player and want to tie down his services for the long term.

READ MORE: Liverpool ramp up plans to tie down Alexander-Arnold as new Euro giant rivals Real Madrid for deal

Luis Diaz open to new Liverpool deal – sources

Sources have revealed to TEAMtalk that Diaz is keen to sign a new contract with Liverpool, so everything points towards an extension being signed soon.

He is happy at Anfield and is fully focused on making Arne Slot’s tenure a successful one, and has certainly got off to a fantastic start this term.

His current deal runs until 2027 and Liverpool don’t often offer out big extensions. We understand that a two-year extension is most likely for Diaz.

Even if a new contract isn’t signed before January, as is now expected, Liverpool will not entertain any offers for the 27-year-old as they are unwilling to lose him.

Liverpool working on Alexander-Arnold deal

Liverpool are also in active talks with Trent Alexander-Arnold, who’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

TEAMtalk understands that Real Madrid have been in ‘constant contact’ with the England right-back’s entourage in recent months.

If a new deal remains unsigned, Alexander-Arnold will be able to hold talks with Madrid over a pre-contract agreement in January.

Liverpool are desperate to tie Alexander-Arnold down to fresh terms and avoid losing him on a free transfer. Sources say the dynamic defender is happy at Anfield, and is likely to put pen to paper soon.

The situations of Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk are slightly more unclear, however. The duo, like Alexander-Arnold, will be out of contract next summer.

We understand that Salah is very likely to move to Saudi Arabia next summer. If he doesn’t pen fresh terms at Liverpool, he will be in line to receive a huge signing-on fee if he does join a Saudi side on a free transfer, making an extension unlikely.

TIMELINE: Diaz at Liverpool

After scoring 41 goals in 125 games for Porto, Diaz joined Liverpool in January 2022. The Reds forked out an initial £37.5 million (€45m, $50m) for the Colombian winger, with an extra £12.5 million (€15m, $16.7m) in add-ons.

Diaz made his Liverpool debut on February 6, 2022, coming off the bench in an FA Cup fourth-round fixture against Cardiff City and setting up a goal for Takumi Minamino in a 3-1 win.

Two weeks later, the dynamic wide player’s impressive start to life on Merseyside continued as he scored his first goal for Reds in a 3-1 Premier League victory over Norwich City at Anfield in just his second league start.

Diaz was a key figure as the Reds claimed an EFL Cup and FA Cup double in his first season with the club and his strike in a 3-2 semi-final win over Villarreal helped book Liverpool’s place in the Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Real Madrid.

The 57-cap Colombia star scored twice as Liverpool beat Aston Villa 9-0 the following season to equal a Premier League record scoreline, but a knee injury in October kept him out for seven months.

Despite missing games for personal reasons after his parents were kidnapped back home in Colombia, Diaz scored 13 goals and provided five assists for Liverpool in the 2023-24 campaign.

And the early weeks of the 2024-25 season have seen the winger produce his best form to date for Liverpool, and Slot will hope that continue as he looks to challenge Manchester City and Arsenal for the Premier League title.

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