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Liverpool was in no rush to sell Luis Diaz when Bayern Munich emerged as a suitor for the Colombian forward earlier this summer. But with a price of $88 million (£66 million) having been agreed, it looks like a good deal.
Diaz had two years left on his contract at Anfield but was keen to explore a move away. And when Barcelona signed Marcus Rashford, having realized that Diaz was going to be unattainable, Bayern Munich seemed the most likely destination.
The 28-year-old has been at Liverpool for three-and-a-half years and clearly, he has been a success. But equally, to earn a profit of around $30 million (£23 million) on the price paid to FC Porto for Diaz in 2022 is a strong return.
It is a move that has all the hallmarks of one that could pay off for all parties. Liverpool has got good money and will be able to bring in a younger attacker, potentially with more output.
At the same time, Diaz will get the change of scenery that he wanted, and Bayern Munich will get a solution to Vincent Kompany's needs in attack. Everyone could win.
It should be noted, however, that the last player to move from Liverpool to Bayern Munich did so to plenty of fanfare. Sadio Mane, as a Premier League great, was seen as quite a coup when he left Anfield to sign for the Bundesliga side.
Just a few months later, it became clear that things hadn't gone to plan. Brought in to help replace the Barcelona-bound Robert Lewandowski, the Mane move swiftly unraveled.
The Senegalese was a bit-part player and never really established himself in the team under Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann. In one bizarre incident, he and Leroy Sane got into a physical altercation in the dressing room following a 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the Champions League.
Bayern Munich thought it was signing a superstar, but it never worked out. And a year after Mane's move to Germany, an exit was sanctioned: a $32 million (£24 million) switch to Saudi Arabia.
Three years younger than Mane was when the African signed for Bayern Munich, the situation with Diaz is not directly comparable. In reality, he still has the speed and agility required to thrive in a top side, which is why the Reds were open to keeping him.
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Quite easily, Diaz could continue his good form from last season, where he scored 17 times for Arne Slot in all competitions, and he could prove good value.
But in wanting a change, of course, Diaz has given up a place in the Premier League's best team for one still adjusting to life with an inexperienced Kompany — already unable to persuade Florian Wirtz this summer — at the helm.
Given he only had two years left on his Liverpool contract and Bayern Munich is offering a minimum of four, that will have factored into his decision too.
There is a warning sign there for him, though, that sometimes leaving Liverpool doesn't lead to better things. The smart money is on Diaz's move going completely differently from Mane's — but there are no guarantees.
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