Sadio Mane has joined Bayern Munich for an initial $34 million fee. The value of the transfer could go over $43 million, depending on add-ons being met.
The 30-year-old penned a three-year contract with Bayern. He spent six years with Liverpool, winning the Champions League, the Club World Cup, and the Premier League with the Merseyside club. He scored 120 goals and assisted another 48 in his 269 matches in the Liverpool shirt. Mane had just one year left in his Liverpool contract, so Bayern could sign him at a much lower fee than his quoted price.
Willkommen in München, Sadio! 🙌🎬 #ServusMané #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/sTuzTn3Sh9
— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) June 22, 2022
Liverpool moved fast to replace Mane, signing Darwin Nunez from Benfica in a deal that could be worth over $105 million. The Uruguayan’s transfer broke Liverpool’s record of $93 million, set by Virgil van Dijk in 2017. Just like Van Dijk, Mane arrived at Anfield from Southampton. Liverpool paid $45 million for his services.
Mane: ‘I’m very happy to finally be with Bayern’
Talking to the club’s website, Mane said he was excited to start fresh at the Allianz Arena.
“I’m very happy to finally be with FC Bayern in Munich,” the Senegalese star said. “We had a lot of talks and I felt a great interest in this big club from the start. So there was no doubt in my mind right from the start.”
“This is the right time for this challenge. I want to achieve a lot with this club, and also internationally. Even during my time in Salzburg, I followed many FC Bayern games – I like this club very much,” Mane added.
“We are delighted that we’ve been able to recruit Sadio Mane,” Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn said. “With his outstanding performances and his great successes at the highest international level over many years, there are very few players like him in the world,” the official stressed.
Eine Nachricht von Sadio an euch! 💬🤳#ServusMané #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/LE5a4d8u6s
— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) June 22, 2022
Bayern is at -500 to add another Bundesliga title to its current 10-long series. Second-favorite in the German title race is Dortmund at +900. Mane is the good news fans were expecting ahead of the new season, which kicks off on Aug. 5 with a trip to Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt. Bayern’s bosses will now have to face the danger of losing superstar striker Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski made it clear he doesn’t see himself wearing Bayern’s shirt again, putting pressure on the club to sell him. FC Barcelona is Lewy’s main suitor, but Chelsea could also enter the race once Lukaku’s return to Inter Milan is sealed. The bookies have Barcelona at -300 to sign Lewandowski this summer.
