Liverpool’s Luis Diaz in middle of non-payment lawsuit

Luis Díaz is one of the footballing sensations in the Premier League. In just a few months, since joining in January, he has already become a starter for Liverpool in what was an already impressive front line. But off the pitch, too, he has hit the headlines.

Porto allegedly sued over Diaz non-payment

In this particular case, a complaint has reportedly been filed by Junior Barranquilla, the club where the Colombian was developed, against Porto for an alleged case of non-payment. FIFA has been alerted.

The South American club claim that they have still not received a payment of around nine million euros (£7.7m / $9.5m) that was owed to them based on the 20% of the economic rights that they kept when they transferred him to Los Dragones for seven million euros. This followed the £40 million move to Anfield. According to Récord, the Portuguese team has 45 days to pay the debt.

The Colombian Neymar, as some have been calling him (others arguing that his work-rate added to his silky skills and goals puts him ahead of the Brazilian), is Liverpool’s latest in a long line of clever signings. The Reds have shown their astuteness over recent years in the transfer market. Quality before quantity, and a focus on what the team needs, has been reflected in the cases of Thiago, Konaté and Díaz, who has smashed all the expectations his arrival generated. His influence goes beyond five goals and three assists.

His teammates look to get him on the ball at every opportunity and his threat opens up more space for the likes of Salah, Mané and Jota as defenders have more to occupy them than ever before. The Colombian is currently the third most productive player in Europe per 90 minutes (0.64), behind only Darwin Núñez (0.80, Benfica) and Terrier (0.69, Rennes).