FC Bayern Munich: The critical transfer of Luis Diaz

It is not bad in the football world with Sadio Mané. A few years ago, the Senegalese winger was one of the planet’s most exciting footballers. At the Liverpool FC under contract, its market value in the meantime was 150 million euros (in 2019, source: transfermarkt.de). Together with Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, he formed an offensive three -man team that was decisive to make Liverpool the top club, which he is again again.

So if Luis Diaz, the very likely new commitment of FC Bayern, is compared to Mané – as it currently happens everywhere – this is a good omen for the German record champions. Or? Well, no. The comparison is only partially a sportier.

Because Sadio Mané not only played for FC Liverpool – but also for Bavaria. And he benevolently left a taste.

He was 30 years old when he moved to Munich for 32 million euros in 2022. He became a disappointment (although his statistics were also not bad underground), but much more difficult weighed the fact that rumors were previously true, which previously waved around the transfer: Mané was apparently not the simplest contemporary. In April 2023 he hit his teammate Leroy Sané in the face after a game. And that’s it. Mané was sold.

Ironically, it is now Leroy Sané again, who is responsible for the fact that Bayern need a new winger due to his move to Istanbul. And according to the agreed media reports, Luis Diaz is said to be. However, euphoria is not among Bavaria fans. Mané is still too present in the mind. And there are several reasons:

In fact, Bayern are repeat offenders in these allegations. Harry Kane’s transfer, which cost FCB over 100 million euros, was also surprised. But because he contributes goals like on the assembly line, the critics have become calmer in his case. And Kane is not suspected of causing any problems.

Nevertheless, Bayern’s sports director Max Eberl has to put up with the question of whether his transfer strategy is the right one. Although he has finally got a player, unlike other clubs in Europe, the Munich team put much less on their own talent or the transfer of young players from other clubs. The overall squad may hide it, the first team doesn’t. Always only putting on trained, experienced players no longer fits the current zeitgeist. The Champions League final between Inter Milan (average age 28 years) and Paris Saint-Germain (25 years) clearly showed this. Paris won 5-0.

But with all the points speak against Luis Diaz, there are also some pro arguments. He played a strong last season and has characteristics that do Bayern well: it is quick and dangerous on the outside, but can also replace Harry Kane in the storm center if the cases. It is strong in dribbling, which is particularly important due to the violation of Jamal Musiala. And he always brings his commitment – which is not always the case on the Munich outer lanes.

So there is potential in this transfer for Bavaria. But also a danger: If Diaz is not convincing and ultimately resold significantly cheaper, it sends a difficult signal to the other top clubs. Namely, that Bayern are gratefully paying customers for players who are no longer needed elsewhere.