Luis Diaz completes £65.5m Bayern move, bids farewell to Liverpool

Luis Diaz has officially completed his £65.5 million transfer to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, drawing a close to his three-and-a-half-year spell at Anfield. The Colombia international has inked a four-year deal with the German club, marking a significant summer move in European football.

The 28-year-old's departure became increasingly clear when he was excluded from Liverpool's pre-season friendly against AC Milan on Saturday, amidst intense speculation about his future. Liverpool had initially rejected Bayern's opening offer of £58.6 million earlier this month but ultimately accepted a follow-up bid of £65.5 million over the weekend, subsequently granting Diaz permission to undergo a medical with the German giants.

Diaz leaves the Reds as a Premier League champion, having amassed four major pieces of silverware during his time at the club. In an emotional Instagram post, he reflected on his journey, stating his exit would have been the "perfect goodbye" if not for the tragic death of his teammate Diogo Jota earlier this month.

"I arrived with all the dreams in the world, and I am leaving proud of everything we achieved together," Diaz wrote. "I have met incredible people, fabulous colleagues, coaches who helped me a lot, and extraordinary fans. Liverpool is, indeed, a special team, and I will keep everyone in my heart."

He continued, "It's good to be leaving with the feeling of a duty fulfilled, and, most of all, to be leaving a champion. It would have been the perfect goodbye if we hadn't lost one of ours in such a tragic way. I carry everyone with me in my heart, but one of them in particular: Diogo. I will never forget him. We will never forget him. Thank you for everything."

Diaz originally joined Liverpool from Porto for an initial £37 million in January 2022. During his 148 appearances for the club, he scored 41 goals. His trophy haul includes the FA Cup and EFL Cup in his inaugural season, and he was part of the squad that reached the 2022 Champions League final, ultimately losing to Real Madrid. Last season was his most prolific, with 17 goals across all competitions, as Liverpool clinched the Premier League title.