عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Bayern Sign Luis Diaz from Liverpool on Four-Year Deal 

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - December 22, 2024 Liverpool's Luis Diaz scores their sixth goal. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - December 22, 2024 Liverpool's Luis Diaz scores their sixth goal. (Action Images via Reuters)
TT
TT

Bayern Sign Luis Diaz from Liverpool on Four-Year Deal 

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - December 22, 2024 Liverpool's Luis Diaz scores their sixth goal. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - December 22, 2024 Liverpool's Luis Diaz scores their sixth goal. (Action Images via Reuters)

Bayern Munich have signed Colombian winger Luis Diaz from Liverpool on a four-year contract, the Bundesliga club said on Wednesday.

Financial details of the transfer were not revealed but British media reported Bayern paid around 75 million euros ($86.67 million) for the 28-year-old Colombia international.

Diaz's contract with Liverpool ran until June 2027. He moved to the Merseyside club from Portuguese side Porto for around 50 million euros in January 2022.

"Three and a half years that I'll treasure forever. I arrived with all the dreams in the world, and I am leaving proud of everything we achieved together," Diaz posted on Instagram.

"I have met incredible people, fabulous colleagues, coaches who helped me a lot, and extraordinary fans. Liverpool is, indeed, a special team, and I will keep everyone in my heart...

"It would have been the perfect goodbye if we hadn't lost one of ours in such a tragic way," Diaz added, referring to former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota, who was killed in a car accident earlier this month.

"As I said, and I repeat, I carry everyone with me in my heart, but one of them in particular: Diogo. I will never forget him. We will never forget him. Thank you for everything. YNWA."

Diaz made 148 appearances in all competitions across four seasons at Liverpool, scoring 41 goals and registering 23 assists.

His best performance in the Premier League came last season, when he helped Liverpool to their record-equaling 20th English top-flight title with 13 goals and seven assists from 36 games. Diaz also helped Liverpool win the FA Cup in 2022 and the League Cup in 2022 and 2024.

He primarily played on the left wing at Liverpool and can also be deployed as a striker.

"Luis Diaz is an internationally experienced player with enormous quality, great skills and great reliability. He will help our team immediately. We are delighted that we were able to sign him for Bayern," Bayern sporting director Max Eberl said in a statement.

"Transfers like this work when everything clicks into place. Our fans can look forward to an exceptional player."

Diaz is the second Liverpool player to join a German side in this transfer window, after defender Jarell Quansah moved to Bayer Leverkusen this month.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Saudi National Team Coach: We Aim to Conclude Our Participation in the Best Possible Manner

Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions - SPA
Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions - SPA
TT
TT

Saudi National Team Coach: We Aim to Conclude Our Participation in the Best Possible Manner

Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions - SPA
Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions - SPA

Saudi national team head coach Hervé Renard affirmed during a pre-match press conference ahead of the team’s encounter with the UAE that the squad aims to conclude its participation in the tournament in the best possible manner. He noted that reaching this stage was not the desired objective, but focus and readiness remain essential requirements.

Renard explained that preparations for the match against Jordan were solid and that statistics reflected the Saudi team’s superiority in terms of possession and presence in the opponent’s half, as well as prior understanding of the opponent’s strategy, SPA reported.

However, he said that failure to capitalize on scoring opportunities prevented goals, while Jordan’s team succeeded in converting its chances.

He stated that exiting the semifinals is a difficult challenge for everyone, emphasizing the need to maintain professionalism and prepare well to secure victory in tomorrow’s match. He noted that the team delivered strong performances in previous matches, but effectiveness in front of goal remains a decisive factor that must be further developed in the next phase.

Renard stressed the importance of players being actively involved in domestic competitions, emphasizing that preparation for the World Cup requires higher readiness and a more competitive level to present the image expected on the global stage.

Saudi national team player Abdulrahman Al-Aboud said the ambition had been to win the title, but that was not achieved, noting the players’ readiness to compete for third place against the UAE national team.

Sports

Carlos Alcaraz Ends 7-year Partnership with Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero

Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning the first set against Joao Fonseca during the Miami Tennis Invitational tournament, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning the first set against Joao Fonseca during the Miami Tennis Invitational tournament, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
TT
TT

Carlos Alcaraz Ends 7-year Partnership with Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero

Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning the first set against Joao Fonseca during the Miami Tennis Invitational tournament, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning the first set against Joao Fonseca during the Miami Tennis Invitational tournament, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz is parting ways with his longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Alcaraz announced their decision to end a seven-year partnership on Wednesday in a message on his social networks, The AP news reported.

With Ferrero, Alcaraz has claimed six Grand Slam titles __ two French Open titles, two Wimbledon crowns and two US Opens.

“After more than seven years together, Juanki and I have decided to bring our chapter together as coach and player to an end,” Alacaraz wrote. Thank you for turning childhood dreams into reality. We started this journey when I was barely a kid, and throughout all this time you’ve accompanied me on an incredible journey, on and off the court. I’ve enjoyed every single step with you immensely."

Sports

FIFA Launches $60 Ticket Tier amid Criticism of 2026 World Cup Pricing 

13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)
13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)
TT
TT

FIFA Launches $60 Ticket Tier amid Criticism of 2026 World Cup Pricing 

13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)
13 December 2024, Switzerland, Zurich: The FIFA logo is seen on the façade of FIFA headquarters before the draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. (dpa)

FIFA introduced on Tuesday a small number of $60 "Supporter Entry Tier" tickets, aiming to make next year's World Cup more affordable for fans of qualified teams.

Football's governing body said that the discounted tickets would cover all 104 matches of the tournament, including the final.

The cheaper tickets will make up 10% of Participating Member Associations' (PMAs) allocations.

The PMAs, which represent competing national teams and manage dedicated fan ticket programs, will handle the ticket allocation process.

They will also define their own criteria to prioritize tickets for "loyal fans" closely connected to their national teams.

"In total, half of each PMA's ticket allocation will fall within the most affordable categories: 40% under the Supporter Value Tier and 10% under the new Supporter Entry Tier," FIFA said in a statement.

"The remaining allocation will be split evenly between the Supporter Standard Tier and the Supporter Premier Tier," it added.

Fans who apply through PMA ticketing programs and whose teams fail to progress to the knockout stage will have administrative fees waived for refund requests.

The announcement comes amid growing scrutiny of ticket pricing ahead of the 2026 tournament, set to take place from June 11 to July 19 across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Last week, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) accused FIFA of imposing "extortionate" ticket prices that could prevent average fans from attending the event.

'STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION'

FSE director Ronan Evain told Reuters on Tuesday that while the new pricing was a step in the right direction, it was "clearly not sufficient".

He noted that following a team to the final would cost $480 under category four, but jumps to $6,900 for category three, meaning one fan "sitting in the same section" as another could pay 15 times more.

Evain also said there was a lack of transparency around ticket distribution.

"FIFA doesn't provide any guidelines or obligations for the PMAs. They have the freedom to choose how they distribute the tickets," he said.

According to the BBC, this will mean about 400 of the cheaper tickets will be available for England and Scotland in their group games, yet Evain said that most PMAs don't disclose the number of tickets.

FIFA said in its statement on Tuesday that PMAs were requested to ensure that these cheaper tickets were "specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams".

Evain also raised concerns about accessibility for fans with disabilities. "The cheapest they can get all the way to the final is $7,000 and they also must pay full price for companion seats, meaning that following a team to the final could cost $14,000," he said.

Reuters has put Evain's points to FIFA for comment.

Despite the backlash, FIFA reported strong interest in the sale's third phase draw, which began on December 11 and will remain open until January 13, driven by the release of match schedules, venues and kick-off times.