Bayern s helpless move may lay a financial "bomb" after winning the 28-year-old winger

In June this year, Louis Diaz and his long-time partner Gra Ponce held a luxurious wedding in his native Colombia, where a surprising song "Bella Ciao" was played. In the rumored banquet video, Diaz sang and danced with "Bella Ciao". The song was re-written by Liverpool fans after Diaz moved to Liverpool from Porto in January 2022. The lyrics tell the story of Diaz's journey from the Colombian town of Barancas to the Premier League and reaching the peak of his life. The song can be heard in stadiums across Europe, and the striker, led by Klopp and Slot, became an integral part of the Reds' success.

Diaz's choice to sing the song on a big day shows that he has established a special relationship with fans during his three and a half years at Liverpool. The relationship grew stronger last season as the 28-year-old's talent and perseverance helped the club win a record 20th league title.

With this in mind, many people will be surprised to see Diaz sign with Bayern Munich for 75 million euros on July 30. Even more surprising is that it was Diaz himself who led the transfer, and a source said the player was "decided" to leave Anfield this summer.

For Bayern, known for its explosive wing player, it may not be surprising to add a winger to his offensive lineup; it is surprising that the player turned out to be Diaz, not a younger and better player. So, what is the reason behind Diaz's desire for a new challenge? What changes will happen to the Bundesliga champion after signing Diaz?

Whether it is "joining the army" or "retiring", Diaz is surprising that Diaz joins Liverpool, and Klopp is somewhat surprised. Because in January 2022, Tottenham Hotspur took the lead in launching an offensive against him. Liverpool originally planned to upgrade the lineup that summer, and Tottenham's actions forced them to start the 2022 summer transfer plan ahead of schedule.

Fortunately, after some intense operation, Liverpool successfully intercepted Tottenham and won Diaz. The deal paid off quickly, with Diaz helping the team win the England Cup double and reaching the Champions League final, eventually losing to Real Madrid. With his destructive speed and dexterity on the left wing, Diaz has become a fan favorite.

But after a severe knee injury in October 2022, the forward was forced to recuperate for seven months and has been unable to recover from his peak form after his return. Diaz's father was held hostage by militants in Colombia for nearly two weeks in October 2023, exacerbating his plight.

Sources said that by the summer of 2024, Diaz is eager to leave Merseyside. He appreciates the idea of transferring to La Liga, and his father told Colombian media that playing for Barcelona was his son's "dream".

For a while, Liverpool seemed to be preparing for his departure. Sources said that the club agreed in principle to sign left winger Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for £75 million, but because the latter sold Jancouba Minter and Elliott Anderson to Brighton and Nottingham Forest to alleviate their concerns about PSR, Newcastle, who did not want to "lose blood", eventually stopped the deal.

The decision paid off again as Liverpool tried hard to keep Diaz at Anfield due to the lack of a suitable replacement. The Colombia international scored the most prolific season of his career at Liverpool last season, scoring 17 goals in various competitions, ranking second among all Liverpool strikers in the Premier League (after Mohamed Salah), and Slot's side finally won the championship easily.

Despite Diaz's role in Liverpool's victory, this summer is likely to be crucial for the player who will turn 29 in January next year. With his existing contract only two years left, Anfield seniors must make a major decision.

The striker's salary has been controversial for years, with some reports claiming his weekly salary of just £55,000 - a figure that seems a bit too shabby for a top player. Although a source said the number was inaccurate and suggested that his weekly salary was about £140,000, it was clear that there was a huge difference between Diaz's demand and the salary Liverpool was willing to offer.

Sources said Liverpool's two attempts to renew contracts failed. Although Liverpool initially refused to give up their No. 7 player during the summer transfer period, his departure was a foregone conclusion. The Reds rejected Barcelona's early advance payment and rejected Bayern's 67.5 million euros offer.

But when the German club returned to the table with a higher offer, Liverpool reluctantly accepted it because they felt it was an opportunity to profit from the player who might be nearing his peak. Diaz's departure will help balance some of Liverpool's spending this summer, with the Premier League champion already spending about £290 million on Wilz, Flynnon, Kirkz, Mamaldashvili and Ekitic.

There is also a feeling that the additional funds - coupled with the income from forwards Nunes and Chiesa's possible transfers - can provide funds for Liverpool's introduction of Isaac, although it is very difficult to convince Newcastle United to agree to let go.

The introduction of Diaz may put Bayern at major financial risks

No matter how Bayern Munich promotes this signing in the coming days, Diaz is definitely not their first choice. After failing to sign the top transfer target Wilz, Bayern had to change its strategy and find other options, while Nico Williams, Rafael Leon and Bradley Balcola all ranked ahead of Diaz.

When none of the three could or was unwilling to transfer to Munich, Bayern began to look for other options. Eventually, they chose Diaz, who seemed ecstatic about his interest in the Bundesliga title and prepared to leave Anfield.

Bayern knew there were not many choices, so after the first offer was rejected, they did not leave the negotiating table. Instead, they submitted a higher offer, while hoping that Diaz would express his willingness to leave to Liverpool's decision makers, and Diaz did.

After Thomas Muller, Sane and Terr left the team one after another in recent weeks, Bayern realized that they had to strengthen the front line. Bayern sporting director Max Ebert is under greater pressure after Musiara broke his leg in the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup against Paris Saint-Germain.

Due to the huge amount, Ebert signing Diaz took considerable risks. Diaz's pre-tax income is expected to be €14 million, 66% higher than his salary at Liverpool (based on a weekly salary of £140,000 at Liverpool). Considering that many players in the club have eight-figure annual salaries, Bayern Munich actually hopes to lower the total salary this summer, but Diaz's contract completely failed this goal.

Eber's negotiation and lineup building skills have been criticized, and it seems that he can only sign a mediocre contract at most. Diaz will be 32 years old when his four-year contract expires. If he wants to transfer, Bayern will not be able to recover too much transfer fees.

Since signing Robben and Ribery in the late 2000s and starting a period of glory, Bayern has been favoring wingers. As Robben and Ribery get older, Kingsley Koeman, Gnabri and Sane take over the team, and current head coach Kompany also seems to hope to continue to rely on explosive wing players. Olisse joined Bayern last summer and became the best player on the team in his first season.

A source said Kompany favored Diaz's joining the team. Not only can he play on the left, he also proved himself an excellent striker, starting 15 times as a No. 9 player on Slott's team last season, and some even think Diaz is more threatening in the middle than on the left. No matter where he plays, he will be regarded as an efficient pressure exercising player who can integrate into Bayern's system.

During the Club World Cup, Kompany tried a 4-4-2 formation, with Gnabry and Harry Kane as forwards. Diaz may be another candidate for Kane, especially if Bayern is unable to sign forward Walter Mad from Stuttgart.

The worst case scenario for Eber is that the most expensive player he signed this summer was mediocre and could not immediately prove his high contract value. Meanwhile, if Kompani is unwilling to give youth training players any chance, their relationship will become alienated.

Bayern has several potential stars in the offensive midfield position, the most notable of which is 19-year-old Paul Wanna, but their chances in the first team seem limited. With Diaz's arrival, their chances of playing will be further reduced in the near future.

source:vn cn 7m