Luis Diaz has just held a lavish wedding in Colombia with his long-time girlfriend Gera Ponce, in which the song "Bella Ciao" also resounded. This is a song composed by Liverpool fans to honor Diaz.
From the small Barrancas to the top of the Premier League, Diaz has become an indispensable symbol of Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, contributing greatly to helping the club equal Manchester United's record of 20 league titles.
However, the big shock came when Diaz signed a contract worth 75 million Euros with Bayern Munich. Notably, the deal was driven by the Colombian himself. Why did Diaz choose to leave Anfield to find a new challenge? And will Bayern succeed with this blockbuster contract?
Diaz had an impressive start at Liverpool, becoming a surprise signing when Klopp quickly completed the deal in the summer of 2022, facing fierce competition from Tottenham.
This decision quickly brought sweetness when Diaz contributed greatly to Liverpool winning a domestic double and reaching the UEFA Champions League final, only losing narrowly to Real Madrid. With his horrifying speed and skillful left wing skills, he quickly became a star loved by Liverpool fans.
However, after suffering a serious knee injury in October 2022, the striker was forced to miss 7 months. When he returned, he struggled to find his peak form.
Diaz's struggles were further compounded by off-field problems in October 2023, when his father, Luis Manuel Diaz, was held hostage for nearly two weeks.
Sources say Diaz is keen to leave Merseyside in the summer of 2024. He liked the idea of moving to La Liga, and his father also shared that playing for Barcelona was his son's dream.
For a while, it seemed Liverpool were preparing for Diaz's departure. The club reached a £75 million principle deal to sign left winger Anthony Gordon from Newcastle last July.
However, the final deal fell through after Newcastle eased their concerns about PSR with the transfers of Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson, respectively to Brighton and Nottingham Forest.
Without a suitable replacement, Liverpool tried their best to keep Diaz at Anfield, and this decision was quickly rewarded. The Colombian had his most productive season in the red last season, scoring 17 goals in all competitions.
Diaz is Liverpool's striker with the second most minutes played in the Premier League last season (after Mohamed Salah), contributing significantly to Slot's team winning the championship.
Despite playing a key role in Liverpool's victory, this summer seems to be the deciding period for Diaz's future. His contract has only two years left to expire, and the Kop board must make important decisions.
There has been controversy over the striker's salary over the years. Some reports say he only receives a salary of £55,000/week. This is a rather modest number for a top player.
Although this figure is inaccurate and is actually around £140,000 a week, there is clearly a significant gap between Diaz's demand and the salary Liverpool are willing to pay. Especially since he will turn 29 in January next year.
According to British media, the two contract extension negotiations have failed, and although Liverpool initially did not want to part ways with Diaz, his departure has become increasingly inevitable. The Kop have rejected offers from Barcelona and Bayern Munich earlier this summer.
But when the "Gray Tigers" returned to the negotiation table with a more attractive offer, Liverpool reluctantly accepted. They have found that the opportunity to make money from a player is probably gradually passing its peak.
Diaz's departure will help the "Red Brigade" balance some of their spending this summer. The reigning Premier League champions have spent around £290 million on Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Hugo Ekitike.
There is also a sense that the money from selling Diaz, along with any fees collected from the departure of strikers Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa, will help Liverpool successfully sign Alexander Isak.
