Liverpool manager Arne Slot has spoken with palpable emotion after the departure of Luis Díaz to Bayern Munich, admitting that the Colombian’s exit marked a poignant moment in both his role at Liverpool and in the club’s broader transfer strategy.
Díaz, who completed his move on July 30, 2025 for a reported £65.5 million (€75 million), ended a memorable three-and-a-half-year stint at Anfield that included league triumph and trophy-lifting contributions at every turn.
Slot, addressing the press at the conclusion of Liverpool’s Asia tour, did not hold back as he described his mixed emotions at bidding farewell to a player who deeply resonated both on and off the pitch. “Yeah, it was always going to be a sad day when Díaz left Liverpool,” Slot confessed.
He praised Díaz for his unwavering positivity: “First of all for the person he was because he always had a smile on his face no matter what, in the year that I’ve worked with him. I played him a lot so then maybe it’s a little bit more normal to have a smile on your face!” Even when Díaz was not included in the lineup, Slot recalled, “But even when I didn’t play him he always came out for every training session and gave it everything, with a smile on his face.”
Perhaps most touching was Slot’s comment on the beloved fan chant that became synonymous with Díaz. “I’m going to miss his song a lot, a lot, a lot as well because it was maybe one of the best songs our fans have for a player.”
This chant, a reworking of Bella Ciao in honor of Díaz’s journey from Barrancas to world-class footballing status, featured notably at his wedding, underscoring the emotional bond between player and fanbase.
The background to Díaz’s move goes deeper than a simple transfer fee. After joining Liverpool from Porto in January 2022 for around €49 million, Díaz became a key attacking threat, helping the team lift four major trophies, including the 2024–25 Premier League title—Slot’s first season in charge.
Last campaign he delivered his most prolific output yet: 17 goals across all competitions, including 13 in the Premier League, making him second only to Mohamed Salah in Liverpool’s scoring charts.
Despite Liverpool’s initial attempts to extend his contract and retain him—marked by failed negotiations and a disconnect between salary demands and club offers—Diaz had signaled his desire for a fresh challenge, apparently holding Bayern Munich in high regard since summer 2024.
Liverpool rebuffed early bids but ultimately accepted Bayern’s improved proposal when it became clear the player was determined to leave, helping raise funds to offset a busy summer of spending that included big-money arrivals like Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Jeremie Frimpong.
Slot highlighted this balancing act: “This is also who we are as a club. We are making big signings … But this club also needs to recoup funds to get these transfers that we already did over the line. It has been a summer where we’ve spent a lot but I think if people look at all the money we’ve already brought in, that’s also … a good thing for this club as well.”
Díaz departs having scored 41 goals and provided 18 assists in over 100 games for Liverpool. His move to Bayern is seen by many as both a crowning achievement in his career and a shrewd piece of business from Liverpool—who now stand poised to potentially reinvest in marquee targets such as Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.