Everton are still tracking Porto’s Luis Diaz | OneFootball

Everton are reportedly still tracking Porto winger Luis Diaz after failing to complete a deal for the 24-year-old over the summer.

What’s the story?

The Toffees were heavily linked with a move for the Colombia international in the previous window as new manager Rafa Benitez looked to make his mark on the first-team squad.

It was claimed that Everton wanted to sign Diaz as part of a deal that would have seen James Rodriguez move in the opposite direction and return to the Portuguese club.

However, an agreement could not be reached, and Rodriguez ended up joining Qatari side Al-Rayyan after being deemed surplus to requirements by Benitez.

Now though, it is understood that the Merseyside outfit sent scouts over to watch Porto’s 1-0 Champions League win against AC Milan on Tuesday evening, with Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (as relayed by the Liverpool ECHO) claiming they were one of many sides taking a closer look at the South American.

Would Diaz be a good signing?

Yes, definitely!

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No way!

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Benitez would love him

The tricky forward has established himself as one of Liga Bwin’s most exciting players since arriving at the Estadio do Dragao back in 2019, scoring 32 goals and providing a further 14 assists in 109 appearances for Porto.

And Diaz has also been in scintillating form at the start of the current campaign. After firing the Dragons to their crucial midweek victory over Milan, Diaz was showered with praise by his teammate Sergio Oliveira.

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“I don’t have to answer, we know his qualities, apart from the human level he is also extraordinary on a technical level,” Oliveira said in his post-match interview. “The best for him will also be the best for us as a team.”

It was his seventh strike of the season in all competitions and would have certainly caught the eye of any scouts who had made the journey to Portugal to watch him in the flesh.

Only time will tell if Everton’s hierarchy make a move for the £22.5m-rated magician, but he’s a player that Benitez would surely love to have at his disposal over the coming months as he looks to get the Blues’ season back on track.