Liverpool aiming to beat Spurs in battle for Porto winger Luis Díaz

Liverpool are trying to beat Tottenham to the signing of the Porto winger Luis Díaz and are preparing an initial offer of about £37.5m. Their bid will include easily achievable add-ons of about another £15m and a further £4m or so in bonuses less likely to be paid.

Díaz, a Colombia international with 31 caps, is one of the most exciting talents in Europe and has scored 14 goals in 18 league games this season. Porto rejected a £37.6m offer from Spurs this week for a player who has a £66m release clause.

On Thursday Tottenham suffered a transfer setback when Adama Traoré, one of Antonio Conte’s priority targets, agreed a move to Barcelona. It would be a further blow to their manager, who has repeatedly stressed the need for reinforcements, were Díaz to end up at Liverpool.

The 25-year-old Díaz has twice played against Liverpool this season in the Champions League and is with Colombia for their World Cup qualifiers at home to Peru on Friday and away to Argentina on Tuesday. A medical would take place in South America to ensure a deal could be completed before Monday’s deadline.