Luis Diaz has long been more than just a summer transfer in Munich – he has become one of the most influential faces of the new FC Bayern. The Colombian, who moved to the Isar from Liverpool FC in the summer, has quickly established himself as a key player in Vincent Kompany’s team.
While many experts were initially critical of the 28-year-old’s signing – particularly due to the high transfer fee – there is now no sign of this scepticism. Diaz is convincing across the board, both on a sporting and personal level.
Statistics underpin world-class form
In 17 competitive matches for Bayern, Diaz has scored 16 points – eleven goals and five assists. This means he has been directly involved in scoring in almost every game. His gala performances in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain and in the Bundesliga against Union Berlin in particular have highlighted his importance to Munich’s attacking play.
Bayern president Herbert Hainer recently described Diaz as his „favorite new signing“ – even if he noted with a grin that „he could still score a little more often“.
Diaz raves about life at Bayern
As the BBC reports, the appreciation is mutual. Diaz is said to feel right at home in Munich and is convinced that he is currently in the best form of his career.
The 28-year-old feels recognized as an absolute top performer at FC Bayern – a feeling he increasingly lost at his former club Liverpool last season, where he put in strong performances but, according to the report, „no longer felt like a central part“ of the project.
While Diaz is shining in Germany, disillusionment reigns at Anfield Road. Liverpool, who invested almost 500 million euros in new players in the summer – including ex-Bundesliga stars Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak – are falling short of expectations. The trio have scored just seven goals between them so far, with Diaz alone on eleven.
The voices on the island are getting louder that the sale of the Colombian was a mistake. For FC Bayern, on the other hand, the deal was a stroke of luck – both in sporting and human terms.