Right now, Liverpool will be weaker without him. Diaz is better than Cody Gakpo, and new signing Florian Wirtz wants to play at number 10, where he has so far been used in the pre-season friendlies.

The reigning Premier League champions continue preparations to defend their title on Saturday (7:30 am ET), when Liverpool take on Serie A giants AC Milan in Hong Kong.

In that initial half-season, Diaz gave Liverpool fans reason to believe they had found a fitting heir to Sadio Mané. “He gave Sadio a strong last six months,” said Hendrick, noting that Diaz’s performances on the left allowed Mané to shift centrally and regain form during the run-in.

The winger's departure to Bayern Munich felt like a decision Richard Hughes couldn't turn down, but it does pose issues that Liverpool will now need to address in the transfer market