Luis Díaz

Football transfers are often dressed up as straightforward business: a price, a player, a handshake. But sometimes, the negotiations are more like chess — ego, rivalry, and pride shaping every move.

In the summer of 2024, Liverpool found themselves in precisely that kind of duel. Luis Díaz, the Colombian winger who had lit up Anfield with flashes of brilliance, made it clear he was eager to cross the divide and join Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. For Liverpool, the prospect of losing him to their fiercest Premier League rival was bitter enough. The way forward, they thought, was to balance the …