Luis Díaz signed a long-term contract with Bayern Munich this Wednesday, which will run until 2029, in a deal worth £65M.
The German side had shown interest in signing the Colombian left winger, and the player made clear his intention to make the move from Liverpool FC.
Having rejected Bayern’s opening offer 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 club.
The winger leaves the Reds as a Premier League champion, having won four pieces of major silverware during his time at the club, and says his exit would have been the “perfect goodbye” if not for the death of team-mate 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 on Instagram.
“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.
“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.”
From Barrancas to Munich
Luis Fernando Díaz Marulanda, well known as Luis Díaz, was born on January 13, 1997, in Barrancas, Colombia, to parents Luis Manuel Díaz and Cilenis Marulanda. He is the third child in his family.
Luis Díaz grew up in a poor family living in the Wayuu community near the Venezuelan border. His mother sold corn cakes and worked odd jobs to save up money to buy new boots for Díaz. His father was a local amateur coach and is considered a fundamental influence on his development.
Díaz played for local amateur sides in Barrancas and neighboring towns. His big break came at age 17 in 2014 during the “Pony Fútbol” tournament, a national youth competition in Colombia.
Despite his team’s early exit, his exceptional dribbling, speed, and goal-scoring caught the eye of a scout, Humberto Grondona.
After trials, he joined Barranquilla FC, a second-division club, in 2016 at age 19. This was his first professional contract. He quickly became a key player, scoring 3 goals in 19 appearances.
His strong performance at Barranquilla FC convinced Club Deportivo Popular Junior Fútbol Club S.A., also known as Atlético Junior, to sign him in 2017. He scored 15 goals in 67 appearances for the club.
In July 2019, Luis Díaz joined Portuguese side Porto FC for €7.2M. He scored 41 goals and provided 19 assists in 125 appearances. During his time at Porto, he won trophies like the Primeira Liga, the Taça de Portugal, and the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira.
After his strong performance at Porto, English club Liverpool FC came calling and successfully signed him in January 2022 for €45 million. He has scored 24 goals and provided 14 assists in 98 appearances with the club.
With Liverpool, Díaz won several trophies, including two EFL Cups (Carabao Cup), two FA Cups, and the FA Community Shield.
Luis Díaz also plays for the Colombian national team, nicknamed “Los Cafeteros,” which translates to “The Coffee Growers,” due to the country’s prominent coffee production.
Díaz has signed a contract with FC Bayern Munich that runs until 2029 and will be wearing shirt number 14.
