The reasons that Liverpool decided to offload Diaz

Luis Diaz gave up a shirt worn by some of Liverpool’s previous greats two years ago.

- RICHARD JOLLY SENIOR FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT

He swapped from the No 23, donned by a young Robbie Fowler and then Jamie Carragher, for the more iconic No 7. He offered to personally reimburse fans who had bought the old shirt. The probability now is that he won’t be making a similar offer. Diaz is giving up the number made prestigious by Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish and Luis Suarez, trading the red shirt of Liverpool for the red of Bayern Munich. He had first asked to leave in 2024. He is getting his wish a year later.

Diaz won’t go down as one of Liverpool’s definitive No 7s; though his departure could allow someone else - Florian Wirtz, maybe - to be one. Nor, though, was he miscast, as Harry Kewell was. After James Milner’s eight-season stay as the incongruous No 7, an unflashy odd-job man sometimes filling in at fullback in a flair player’s shirt, Diaz at least felt a player in its traditions.

Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, may feel he represents a piece of business in their best traditions. The chances are that they were frustrated to lose too many players on free transfers - often success stories, which made Jurgen Klopp loyal to them, in Roberto Firmino, Gini Wijnaldum, Divock Origi, Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, but they are cashing in on Diaz.