Liverpool are renowned for their incredible recruitment strategy since Jurgen Klopp made his monumental move to Merseyside, with the club's shrewd business model and rigorous scouting efforts paying off significantly in the last seven years.
The Reds won an FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League trophy and their first ever Premier League title after building one of the most competitive teams in Europe with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson, Fabinho and Alisson Becker just a few of the players who were acquired to form a hard-to-beat powerhouse.
Indeed, in more recent times, that recruitment strategy has often come under scrutiny with FSG failing to refresh important areas of the pitch, which has contributed to a downward spiral that nobody could've predicted at Anfield this season – less than a year after competing for a quadruple.
Many have attributed the slippery slope that has led to Liverpool becoming unlikely to secure Champions League football next season to former sporting director Michael Edwards' departure last summer.
However, his successor, Julian Ward, quickly orchestrated his debut masterclass in January 2022 when he beat Tottenham Hotspur to the monumental signing of Luis Diaz for an initial £37m. To say he struck gold on the Colombia international would be an understatement.
How much is Luis Diaz worth?
The winger made an explosive impact from the very second he put on the red shirt in Merseyside and in no time at all became a fan favourite thanks to his incredible output on the left flank.
It was going to be no easy task to break up the unstoppable combination of Sadio Mane and Salah, however, Diaz quickly established himself as a worthy competitor for the spot on the left flank, which ultimately led to Klopp moving the Senegalese star into the centre-forward position ahead of his summer exit to accommodate the dynamo.
Over 40 appearances so far, Diaz has scored ten goals and registered eight assists with a goal contribution every 148 minutes, but it's not just his consistent output in front of goal that makes him a special talent.
The £55k-per-week winger – who was dubbed "world-class" by his German coach – ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for pass completion, successful take-ons, progressive passes received and aerial duels won, proving that he is not only prolific in possession but is also one of the top forward's in Europe for winning the ball and causing chaos for opponents.
That is why it will come as no surprise whatsoever that – despite his absence from the Liverpool team for most of this season through injury – Diaz's market value has shot through the roof in comparison to what Liverpool paid for him less than 18 months ago.
According to CIES Football Observatory, the Liverpool talisman is now worth a whopping €100m (£88m), an 139% increase on his initial transfer fee and a testament to the unbelievable impact he has made since he burst onto the scene on Merseyside.
With that being said, it is without a doubt that Diaz has been an incredible signing for Liverpool so far and his timely return to the squad in recent weeks will be warmly welcomed by the manager, team and supporters over the remaining fixtures this campaign.