'Duty fulfilled' - Diaz leaves Liverpool for Bayern

Luis Diaz spent three-and-a-half-years at Liverpool

Luis Diaz says he "fulfilled his duty" at Liverpool after completing a £65.5m move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

The Colombia international has signed a four-year deal with the German club to bring his three-and-a-half-year stay at Anfield to an end.

The 28-year-old was left out of Liverpool's pre-season match against AC Milan on Saturday because of speculation over his future.

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."

Diaz joined Liverpool from Porto for an initial £37m in January 2022, scoring 41 goals in 148 appearances during his time at Anfield.

He won the FA Cup and EFL Cup during his opening season with the Reds, and was part of the side that lost to Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League final.

Diaz enjoyed the most prolific season of his career last term, scoring 17 goals in all competitions as Liverpool won the Premier League.

The winger's exit means Liverpool have made around £115m in player sales so far this summer.

That has helped to offset spending of around £270m on Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

The Reds remain interested in Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, who did not travel on the Magpies' far-east tour and is exploring options to leave the club.

How big a loss is Diaz?

Since his debut in January 2022, Diaz has combined consistent dribbling ability with steadily increasing goal threat. During his time at the club he led the Reds in terms of dribbles completed and fouls won, while ranking second for goals, goal involvements and touches in the opposition box.

It is no accident that his shot conversion rate last term - 19% in all competitions - was comfortably his highest in a Liverpool shirt. The winger made 39% of his league appearances as a false nine, meaning he was able to shoot from central areas more often. Head coach Arne Slot trialled Diaz in that role against 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 effect in December and January.

In addition to his threat going forward, Diaz is renowned for grafting for the team. He won possession in the final third 70 times in the Premier League, the second most by a Liverpool player since his arrival, and ranks similarly highly for duels won despite his relatively slight 5ft 10in (1.78m) frame.

When used centrally last term, his high-energy pressing helped set the tempo for the Reds. But next season that role could be filled by club record signing Florian Wirtz, who - for all his attacking flair - works like a demon off the ball. The 22-year-old German won possession in the final third 71 times in the past two Bundesliga seasons, 15 more than any other player.

In terms of filling the void Diaz leaves on the left flank, Cody Gakpo appears the obvious beneficiary. The Dutchman scored 18 times last season, though he isn't quite as effective at dribbling through congested spaces.

Rio Ngumoha, who turns 17 in August, started this month's friendlies against Preston, Stoke and AC Milan and could eventually benefit from Diaz's departure, though the youngster has only made one competitive appearance to date.

Another new signing, Hugo Ekitike, might also be deployed on the left on occasions. The Frenchman is more likely to play up front but could also slot in elsewhere as part of a fluid forward line - something that may be necessary if Liverpool manage to prise Alexander Isak away from Newcastle.