How much Cardiff City could have signed Luis Diaz for as Neil Warnock missed out on future Liverpool FC star | OneFootball

The winger is now a star for Liverpool FC - but Luis Diaz could have lit up the Premier League for Cardiff City

Football is a prime breeding ground for what-ifs, with many fans ruminating on what could have been if things had gone differently.

Sometimes that is wondering about the trajectory of a player’s career if they weren’t struck by injury, or, in other cases, dreaming about where a club could have been if they didn’t sell one of their stars.

For Cardiff City fans, this what-if was double-pronged, with the Bluebirds allegedly set to sign now-Liverpool star Luis Diaz if they avoided relegation from the Premier League in 2019.

Unfortunately for Cardiff fans, a reported move that had been pre-agreed broke down when the Welsh side dropped back into the Championship.

Luis Diaz pre-agreed move to Cardiff City hinged on Premier League status

Every club in the EFL has one that got away; a player that could have joined their team, only to go on to become a star somewhere else.

For Cardiff City, the biggest example is Colombian winger Luis Diaz, who could have been received his first taste of English football in south Wales, not on Merseyside.

That is because in 2019 the Bluebirds had reportedly agreed a £7million fee to prise Diaz away from his native Colombia.

However, it was not as straightforward as it initially sounds, with Cardiff only agreeing a deal with Diaz’s club, Junior Barraquilla.

That being said, Diaz was apparently keen on the move – under the caveat that Cardiff were a Premier League club.

Speaking at the time of Cardiff’s interest, Diaz told Caracol Radio: "Yes, there is already a pre-agreement but I still have not said anything to them, nothing to the leaders that I agree with and that I’m going to go.

"Let’s say there is an agreement between clubs, but I’m still holding back.

"I told them that I am determined to go but I am calm and I want to do things well. If the possibility is given, it would be good.

"Junior had a talk, which is a preliminary agreement and nothing has been confirmed, the proposal was put in place and I have not yet travelled there."

Unfortunately for the side from the Welsh capital, they were unable to preserve their spot in the Premier League – nixing any interest from Diaz in swapping Colombia for Cymru.

Luis Diaz’s route to the Premier League after Cardiff City move broke down

Luis Diaz would soon get his move to Europe, and eventually, the Premier League.

After heavy interest from Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia and Portuguese giants FC Porto, the winger opted to sign for the latter.

Porto paid a reported £5.8million to bring Diaz to Portugal, a fee slightly smaller than the price agreed with Cardiff.

That proved to be a bargain, with the Colombian international grabbing 41 goals and a further 19 assists in 125 games for Porto.

After two-and-a-half seasons in Portugal, Diaz finally got his move to the Premier League in January 2022 – joining giants Liverpool for an initial £37.5million, a transfer potentially rising to £49million if certain conditions are met.

Not only would Bluebirds fans have loved to have seen Diaz light up the Cardiff City Stadium pitch, but they certainly would have enjoyed seeing their club record a massive profit like Porto did.