Although Real Madrid fans have mostly been focused on the European Championships and the transfer targets showcasing their talents on that stage, Copa America has given us one forward who must command our attention going into the 2021-2022 season.
Aside from Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid probably won’t target any other attacking players in the 2021 summer transfer market. And that is all for the best. However, any club will have a list of targets to monitor both in the immediate future and in the long term, and FC Porto’s Luis Diaz must now be on the shortlist.
Diaz made a name for himself with a splendid performance and a jaw-dropping bicycle kick against Brazil in Copa America. He then continued his fine form for the Colombian national team in the competition.
And in the semifinals, Diaz was once again phenomenal on the big stage against one of the two tournament favorites. Though Colombia lost on penalties, Diaz gave his country hope of an upset by scoring another wondergoal, equalizing in a showcase of pace and technical quality.
Luis Diaz is not a likely target for Real Madrid, but he must be monitored now
Even though familiar foe Lionel Messi continued his excellent Copa with a fine performance against Colombia, Diaz was truly the standout performer on the pitch. That’s not even a question. Argentina’s defense was clueless to stop the left winger, who was deadly in transition and ludicrously quick on the ball. Between this match and the one against Brazil, Diaz showed he has that something special to excel at the highest level.
The breakout star between both major tournaments this summer, Diaz was not even a regular starter for a “pragmatic” (and yes, I mean that in an underhanded way) FC Porto side. But in his 16 starts and 14 bench appearances in Liga NOS, along with 421 Champions League minutes, Diaz distinguished himself as a promising player.
Per WhoScored.com, the 24-year-old averaged 3.2 dribbles completed per 90 minutes, completing nearly 70 percent of his dribbles. Those are impeccable numbers for a forward.
Diaz still has some work to do, but he should get more shine at Porto next season and was very much a star in Copa America. The athletic tools, decision-making, skill on the ball, and ability to score from nothing are all translatable traits, which should make Real Madrid at least somewhat interested in the rising star’s services.
It is best to get in on the door early when a bargain is still possible, as opposed to having to overpay when the cat is fully out of the bag. Let’s see what the status with Diaz is and how things develop for Los Blancos. At the end of the day, I highly doubt Real make a move in the future given their current logjam at left winger and their interest in Mbappe, but Diaz is, nonetheless, a quality young player who has earned our admiration and interest – even if only cursory. Even beyond the two wondergoals, this is a player with true talent and a high-level mentality on the pitch.
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