Liverpool’s signing of Luis Diaz has been met with a wave of excitement from fans.
The Colombian is expected to improve Jurgen Klopp’s playing squad significantly. But according to a journalist quoted in the Liverpool Echo, he will also provide a boost for the club off the pitch.
Simon Edwards, a Medellin based journalist, thinks that Liverpool will see a big rise in popularity in the South American country.
Diaz’s marketability as ‘the ultimate underdog’ could provide Liverpool with a windfall in shirt sales.
“Luis Diaz has been a breath of fresh air,” said Edwards via the Liverpool Echo.
“Of course he is marketable but he isn’t like a model, he isn’t a superstar who is focused on the press and his image, he is someone who is humble and hungry, and I think that is what Colombians have been drawn to.”
This echoes what Marko Grujic told Liverpool staff when asked for his thoughts on his then-teammate at Porto.
“He is a great talent but also someone who is very hard working and very committed and with that underdog story he represents a region of Colombia that often gets overlooked and doesn’t get what it needs,” continued Edwards.
“He is the ultimate underdog.”
What could it mean for Liverpool
Liverpool already have a big following in Colombia. The Reds are one of the most visible clubs in the world. As a result, it’s impossible to find a country that they aren’t supported in.
But Diaz is the new face of Colombian football following James Rodriguez decline as a player. That means that his, and therefore Liverpool’s, performances will be watched with scrutiny in the country.
Thanks to Liverpool’s sponsorship deal with Nike, they could stand to benefit from this.
“From my house I would say that there are three Nike stores within 10 minutes, to give you an idea,” said Edwards.
“There would be no issue in terms of Colombian fans who want to get the original Nike shirt with the printing of Luis Diaz, I’m sure that will happen a lot.”
That’s all money into the club’s pocket. But even if fans can’t afford an official Liverpool shirt, Edwards says there will still be visible support of The Reds.
“Colombia is a very unequal society. There will be people who will go out and get the original but people who will buy the fake shirts, but you will see a lot more Liverpool shirts in Colombia now without a doubt,” he said.
Liverpool players have been coming from all over the world with regularity for the last three decades. That there has never been one from a footballing hotbed like Colombia is an oddity.
But it seems that having gone without for so long, Liverpool have managed to pick up the best of the bunch.
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