Surprising revelation: BVB warned Bayern about this transfer | OneFootball

Luis Díaz quickly became a star signing at FC Bayern. However, as has now come to light, the Colombian almost never wore the jersey of the record champions. Max Eberl originally had a completely different transfer plan in mind—but Borussia Dortmund, of all teams, played a decisive role in it.

With Luis Díaz, FC Bayern pulled off one of the most successful transfers of recent years in the summer of 2025. The Colombian impressed right from the start, became a key player, and was even named the best European transfer of the 2025/26 season after an outstanding debut campaign.

But things could have turned out very differently.

As BILD soccer editor Christian Falk revealed in the Bayern-Insider podcast, Díaz was not originally the preferred choice of the Munich club’s management. Instead, sporting director Max Eberl had another attacking player at the top of his wish list.

Eberl wanted to sign Jamie Gittens

After their top target, Nico Williams, turned down Bayern, Eberl shifted his focus to Jamie Gittens.

The English winger was still under contract with Borussia Dortmund at the time and was considered one of the most exciting attacking talents in Europe. Eberl is said to have lobbied intensively internally for a signing and presented his plans to the members of the Bayern supervisory board, including Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

But the idea apparently did not meet with unanimous approval there.

Skepticism stemmed primarily from the high transfer fee and doubts about the player’s suitability for the specific demands at FC Bayern.

Bayern sought advice from BVB

What is particularly noteworthy is how the Munich club ultimately reached its decision. According to Falk, the Bayern bosses wanted to obtain an additional assessment and turned to a man who knew Gittens very well: Niko Kovac.

The former Bayern coach is on the sidelines at Borussia Dortmund and worked with the attacking player on a daily basis. According to information from the Bayern insider, his verdict was clear: Kovac reportedly advised the decision-makers at Säbener Straße against a transfer. His reasoning: Gittens was “not professional enough for Bayern.”

The Dortmund coach’s assessment apparently had a significant influence. Following Kovac’s feedback, Hoeneß, Rummenigge, and the rest of the decision-makers decided against the transfer. Eberl’s preferred candidate was thus off the table.

The sporting director had to set out once again in search of an alternative—and ultimately settled on Luis Díaz.

Díaz turned out to be a stroke of luck

Photo: Getty Images

In hindsight, no one at Säbener Straße is likely to regret that decision. Díaz made an immediate impact, bringing speed, goal-scoring threat, and international experience, and quickly developed into one of the most important players under Vincent Kompany.

While Gittens later moved to Chelsea FC for around 60 million euros, Díaz became a game-changer and a fan favorite at FC Bayern.

The fact that FC Bayern sought the assessment of a coach from a direct Bundesliga rival before a potential signing is certainly not an everyday occurrence in the transfer market.

However, the case shows just how carefully the Munich club now proceeds with major investments and how significant the influence of Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge continues to be.

For Eberl, the story ultimately ended in success despite the failed attempt to secure his first-choice target. In hindsight, the signing of Luis Díaz proved to be a real stroke of luck—and perhaps even a better transfer than Gittens would have been.