Celta de Vigo signs Marcelo Diaz from Hamburg

The next chapter of Marcelo Diaz's career will be written at Balaidos Stadium.

Celta de Vigo signed Diaz from Hamburger SV on Friday, as the underrated midfielder from Chile inked a contract that ties him to the Galician club until 2019.

(Courtesy: Celta de Vigo)

It was a goal from Diaz at the end of the 2014-15 Bundesliga season that allowed Hamburg to ultimately avoid being relegated for the first time in its history. Trailing 1-0 to Karlsruher SC in a play-off to decide who would stay up and who would go down, Hamburg was saved when Diaz curled a free-kick into the back of the net that forced extra time and paved the way for Hamburg to remain in the top flight of German football.

After saving Hamburg's life, Diaz went on to experience glory at last year's Copa America as Chile's national team captured its first-ever title, defeating Argentina on home soil in the final in a script not even Pablo Neruda could have written. He was subsequently named to the Copa America Best XI.

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At Celta, Diaz will find himself filling the void left by Augusto Fernandez, who joined Atletico Madrid at the beginning of January having outgrown life in Galicia.

Diaz will be presented at Balaidos Stadium on Sunday.