Bayern Munich forward Luis Díaz has described his move to Germany as a "big gamble" and said he discussed the transfer with Liverpool's Florian Wirtz before leaving Anfield.
Díaz joined the German champions in a £65.5 million (€75m) deal last month, having enjoyed a stellar individual campaign last term as Liverpool romped to the Premier League title.
Sources told ESPN that Díaz first signalled a wish to leave Liverpool in the summer of 2024, but the club held firm while assessing both the squad and the market. Two separate attempts to agree to a contract extension failed due to a gap between offers and demands, leading Liverpool to reluctantly sanction his departure this summer.
And Díaz made a dream start to life at his new club on Saturday by scoring a crucial goal in Bayern's 2-1 DFL-Supercup win over VfB Stuttgart.
"I'm very happy and pleased with how this weekend went," the 28-year-old told ESPN. "As you pointed out, it was my first official match, my first goal, and my first title. I dreamed of coming here to achieve great things and give my best. I try to enjoy football.
"It was a big gamble and I'm very grateful to the management for reaching out to me and trusting me. It's always up to me to respond on the pitch and contribute with what I know how to do. To be at the disposal of the coaching staff. To start this way and be together with my teammates is incredible."
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He added: "I already had some knowledge of the Bundesliga. I love watching football and all the competitions. I had the opportunity to talk to Florian in Liverpool, and I know it's a physical league. I hope to have a great debut. I've been here at the club for about two weeks, and I need time to settle in."
Díaz celebrated the goal by paying tribute to former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota, who passed away in a car accident last month alongside his brother, André Silva.
Reflecting on the impact of Jota's death, Díaz said: "It's brutal. The fact that he's no longer with us and that we've lost an incredible teammate is unbelievable. No one is prepared to receive this kind of news and feel OK when faced with a situation like this.
"He was a great teammate to me. We will remember him fondly. He will live on in our memories, and being able to dedicate the goal to him is something special. I had planned to do so."