The forbidden love between Luis Díaz and FC Barcelona has been one of the most talked-about stories in European football recently. Before the Catalan club moved to Bayern Munich, they made one final attempt to sign the Colombian, but financial constraints prevented it. Instead, Hansi Flick’s side opted for Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United. However, this was not the first time Barcelona had pursued Díaz. They had tried on two previous occasions—first when Díaz was still at FC Porto and considered an elite prospect. Mundo Deportivo has reviewed these three failed attempts, highlighting how financial factors outweighed other considerations.
The first time Barcelona wanted Luis Díaz was during his stint in Portugal, a stepping stone that led him to Liverpool for €49 million—an affordable sum for any top European club. At the time, the sporting directorate had their eyes on the Colombian, who was a top scorer and standout performer at the 2021 Copa América. However, Barcelona’s analysis concluded that Díaz was not a consistent player, so his signing was ruled out, despite his numbers and attacking qualities. Later, Díaz appeared on a list of potential signings alongside Neymar and João Félix. Only the Portuguese arrived, with an acceptable performance, but that was it.
João Félix joined on loan from Atlético de Madrid and recorded 10 goals and 6 assists in 44 matches. Meanwhile, Díaz moved to the Premier League and posted personal stats of 41 goals and 23 assists in 148 games for Liverpool, a move that generated profits for the English club. Anfield paid the famous €49 million for the attacker and later received €70 million, a positive balance of €21 million. While he was in England, Barcelona wanted Luis Díaz on two occasions, but it was already too late. The Catalan club had no money to buy him, leading to great regret within Barça’s management.
Mundo Deportivo reveals that the first counter-blow came in mid-2023, when his transfer was ruled out due to high costs. In that same window, João Félix arrived. In fact, that market was not very active for Xavi Hernández’s Barcelona, with only €33.4 million invested. Vitor Roque was the only major signing, a Brazilian for whom they paid €30 million. Two years later, with Luis Díaz at his professional peak, Barcelona made one final attempt, but it was even more difficult, as other clubs with better financial options had emerged. Besides Bayern, PSG also wanted him.
By mid-2025, Barcelona had three options. Nico Williams and Díaz were the favorites, but Flick ended up with the Englishman Rashford, who came on loan from England without significant costs. The Catalan budget was not high, and the season’s spending was only €27.5 million, even less than in mid-2023, when financial issues also dashed Díaz’s dream. The result was utterly disappointing for Barcelona, as Díaz became one of the world’s best wingers. This season, first in Germany, his numbers have reached 26 goals and 21 assists in 47 matches, more than any FC Barcelona player.
