Everton's director of football Marcel Brands convinced Porto midfielder Luis Diaz that he should move to Goodison Park in the summer, according to journalist Paul Brown.
Diaz did not end up moving to Merseyside in the most recent transfer window, but Brown has hinted that a deal was close to being agreed between the two clubs.
What happened with Diaz in the summer?
After shining at Porto last season, when he scored six goals and provided five assists in 30 league matches, Diaz was linked with a move to Everton during the latest transfer window.
It was reported that the Premier League outfit were looking at the possibility of doing a swap deal with Porto, which would include James Rodriguez moving in the opposite direction.
However, talks broke down on deadline day, leading to Diaz remaining in Portugal, while Rodriguez went on to join Al-Rayyan in Qatar the following month.
What has Brown said about Diaz?
Reports have claimed that Everton are continuing to keep an eye on Diaz, and Brown has stated that Brands previously made a breakthrough in selling the idea of playing for the club to the Colombian international.
When speaking about the prospect of Everton signing Diaz further down the line, Brown told GIVEMESPORT: “If they were to push the boat out and somehow make that happen, fantastic. It does sound like Marcel Brands did a bit of a number on him and convinced him that Everton was the right club for him.”
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What are the chances of Everton signing Diaz in the future?
Diaz, who Transfermarkt value at £22.5m, appears to have taken his game to another level altogether this season, having scored nine goals in his first 11 league appearances.
According to WhoScored, he has been Porto's best player this term, as he has received an average match rating of 7.75.
He is currently playing in the Champions League for Porto, featuring against the likes of Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and AC Milan, so it would be difficult for Everton to convince him to leave that behind to move to Merseyside.
With this in mind, Everton may have missed the boat when it comes to landing Diaz as he could now have his sights set on moving to a club that can offer him European football.
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