Bayern Munich winger Luis Díaz has admitted holding talks with Barcelona before ultimately taking his talents to Germany this summer.
Signing a new winger was a key priority for Barcelona and sporting director Deco was believed to favor a move for Díaz as reports over his mounting unhappiness at Liverpool began to swirl.
Bayern got in on the fun back in July, making a formal approach which Liverpool swiftly rejected in search of more money, and it was that stance which quickly forced Barcelona to accept defeat in their pursuit of the Colombia international.
The cash-strapped La Liga champions instead pivoted to a loan move for Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, while Díaz moved to Bayern for a sum of €75 million (£65.1 million, $88.8 million) which Barcelona simply could not match.
“There were talks [with Barcelona] and with several teams,” Díaz told Movistar+ after Bayern’s 3–1 victory over Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“I’m very comfortable with my decision [to join Bayern instead]. I made an objective decision for my future, and the important thing is that I’m joining a great club. So, I’ll just try to give my all.”
Barcelona will have the option to sign Rashford permanently next summer for a fee of €35 million—significantly cheaper than Díaz—but the United loanee faces a battle to prove his worth to manager Hansi Flick.
Significant minutes have been hard to come by for Rashford so far, but Flick has challenged the Englishman to make the most of Lamine Yamal’s injury absence and make a name for himself in Catalonia.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘There Were Talks’—Luis Diaz Confirms Barcelona Negotiations Before Liverpool Exit.
