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Former Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has urged Luis Diaz not to leave the Merseyside club in the summer.
Diaz joined the Reds from FC Porto in January 2022 for a reported £50 million fee. The Colombian has since made 90 appearances for the club, scoring 24 goals and providing 12 assists.
Diaz is contracted with the Reds until the end of the 2026-27 season. However, reports suggest that the 27-year-old wants to pen a new deal. This comes after rumors that Paris Saint-Germain have identified Diaz as a potential replacement for the departing Kylian Mbappe. Barcelona are also said to be interested in the winger.
Mascherano, who left the Reds for Barcelona in 2010, has urged the Colombian to stay, telling Antena 2:
"He is a great player, very decisive, especially when it comes to dealing with one-on-one duels. The truth is that I think he has arrived at a team that fits him just right."
Mascherano added:
"If there's something that Liverpool have is that they love players like Diaz who leave everything on the field and have that strength. That's why I think he fits right where he has arrived."
Diaz has been a key player for Jurgen Klopp's team this season as well. In 43 appearances, the Colombian has scored 13 goals and has provided four assists.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reacts to Atalanta defeat
Liverpool were hammered 3-0 by Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg at Anfield on April 11. Gianluca Scamacca scored a brace for the Serie A side and Mario Pasalic bagged another.
Klopp was asked after the match about how he could ensure that the effects don't carry on to the next game. The German replied that he couldn't, saying (via Liverpool's website):
"I can't ensure that, never couldn't. But it's the job I have to do. I don't think it's a general low point, even when you can see it like that as well- it was performance-wise a low point."
The Reds play Crystal Palace next on Sunday, April 14. With his team second in the title race, tied on points (71 from 31 games) with league leaders Arsenal, Klopp can't afford another slip-up.
