Luis Diaz 'glad' to leave Liverpool as he reveals role Florian Wirtz played in exit decision

Luis Diaz 'glad' to leave Liverpool as he reveals role Florian Wirtz played in exit decision

Luis Diaz has opened up on his decision to join Bayern Munich from Liverpool at his official unveiling

Luis Diaz speaks during his press conference after signing for Bayern Munich (Image: Getty Images)

Luis Diaz has revealed he spoke to Florian Wirtz before leaving Liverpool for Bayern Munich. The Colombian completed a £65.5m move to the Bavarian giants on Wednesday (July 30) after failing to agree a new contract with the Reds.

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The 28-year-old’s exit ensures he never actually played alongside Liverpool’s new record signing, having not featured for the Reds in pre-season amid uncertainty around his future.

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But that did not stop Diaz from seeking Wirtz’s opinion ahead of his move to Bayern, with the Germany international - who snubbed the Bavarians’ advances in favour of a switch to Anfield, joining Liverpool in a deal worth up to £116m from fellow Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer.

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"I know what kind of football is played here,” the former Liverpool forward said at his unveiling. “Florian told me that the Bundesliga has a high intensity, comparable to the Premier League.

“The stadiums are always full. Florian wished me a lot of luck.”

While Diaz spoke to Wirtz ahead of his move to Germany, he admitted he is yet to quiz his Colombia team-mate James Rodriguez about his new club.

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The former Everton playmaker spent two seasons on loan at Bayern between 2017 and 2019, winning two Bundesliga titles and the DFB-Pokal.

And Diaz intends to now reach out to his compatriot in search of advice.

"I've not spoken with James that much yet,” he said. “But I will get in touch with him to see what advice he can give me."

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By leaving in a £65.5m deal, Diaz became both Liverpool’s third-most expensive sale and Bayern’s third-most expensive signing.

He is not fazed by his transfer fee though, with Diaz explaining why he wanted to join Bayern.

"I give everything for the team I'm playing for,” he said, “I can't say whether I'm worth the transfer fee, but I'm glad that it's been concluded this way.

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“I like this club and want to settle in here as quickly as possible. I can play up front or on the wing.

“The coach has told me he sees me preferably on the left side, but I'll play where I'm needed. I want to help the team, that's the priority.

“I wanted to join Bayern because the club's aims are in line with mine and I wanted to move to a big team - the club has incredible history.

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“We want to win everything. My aim is to help the club and have success as quickly as possible.

“Being at such a big club is special. I'm just happy to be part of the Bayern family. I've always dreamed of playing for the biggest clubs.

“I'm fulfilling a dream with this. It's about getting used to the club as quickly as possible and helping the team.

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"I'm really looking forward to playing with the whole team. Harry Kane is a great striker with unbelievable qualities, who'll support me a lot. Michael Olise has similar qualities to me.

“I'll learn a lot from the others and I'm very happy to share a dressing room with them. I want to get to know them all."

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