LONDON, United Kingdom, Jul 30 – Liverpool winger Luis Diaz has accomplished a £65.5m transfer to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
The Colombia worldwide has signed a four-year take care of the German membership to carry his three-and-a-half-year keep at Anfield to an finish.
The 28-year-old was neglected of Liverpool’s pre-season match towards AC Milan on Saturday due to hypothesis over his future.
Having rejected Bayern’s opening provide of £58.6m earlier this month, Liverpool accepted a follow-up bid of £65.5m over the weekend and gave Diaz permission to have a medical with the membership.
“I’m very comfortable, it means rather a lot to me to be a part of FC Bayern – it’s one of many greatest golf equipment on the earth,” mentioned Diaz, who will put on the quantity 14 shirt on the membership.
“I need to assist my new workforce with my fashion of soccer and my character. My purpose is to win each potential title – we are going to work in the direction of that each day as a workforce.”
Diaz joined Liverpool from Porto for an preliminary £37m in January 2022, scoring 41 objectives in 148 appearances throughout his time at Anfield.
He received the FA Cup and EFL Cup throughout his opening season with the Reds, and was a part of the facet that misplaced to Real Madrid within the 2022 Champions League last.
Diaz loved essentially the most prolific season of his profession final time period, scoring 17 objectives in all competitions as Liverpool received the Premier League.
How massive a loss is Diaz?
Since his debut in January 2022, Diaz has mixed constant dribbling capacity with steadily growing purpose risk. During his time on the membership he led the Reds when it comes to dribbles accomplished and fouls received, whereas rating second for objectives, purpose involvements and touches within the opposition field.
It isn’t any accident that his shot conversion charge final time period – 19% in all competitions – was comfortably his highest in a Liverpool shirt. The winger made 39% of his league appearances as a false 9, which means he was capable of shoot from central areas extra usually. Head coach Arne Slot trialled Diaz in that function towards Bayer Leverkusen in November, when the Colombian scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 win, and it was a ploy the Merseysiders used to good impact in December and January.
In addition to his risk going ahead, Diaz is famend for grafting for the workforce. He received possession within the last third 70 instances within the Premier League, the second most by a Liverpool participant since his arrival, and ranks equally extremely for duels received regardless of his comparatively slight 5ft 10in (1.78m) body.
When used centrally final time period, his high-energy urgent helped set the tempo for the Reds. But subsequent season that function could possibly be crammed by membership report signing Florian Wirtz, who – for all his attacking aptitude – works like a demon off the ball. The 22-year-old German received possession within the last third 71 instances previously two Bundesliga seasons, 15 greater than another participant.
In phrases of filling the void Diaz leaves on the left flank, Cody Gakpo seems the plain beneficiary. The Dutchman scored 18 instances final season, although he isn’t fairly as efficient at dribbling via congested areas.
Rio Ngumoha, who turns 17 in August, began this month’s friendlies towards Preston, Stoke and AC Milan and will finally profit from Diaz’s departure, although the teenager has solely made one aggressive look so far.
Another new signing, Hugo Ekitike, may additionally be deployed on the left on events. The Frenchman is extra prone to play up entrance however might additionally slot in elsewhere as a part of a fluid ahead line – one thing that could be obligatory if Liverpool handle to prise Alexander Isak away from Newcastle.
