Sadio Mane will inform Liverpool of his wish to depart this summer, according to GOAL, with Bayern Munich leading the race to sign the Senegal superstar.
After spending the previous six years on Merseyside, the 30-year-old is said to be ready for a fresh challenge, and he suggested before the Champions League final that an announcement on his future was on the way.
Mane did not speak to the media after Liverpool’s 1-0 loss to Real Madrid in Paris on Saturday night, as he had promised, but insiders have told GOAL that he is increasingly set to depart Anfield, with Bayern Munich being the frontrunners to sign him.
What Is The Current State Of Mane And Liverpool?
Mane, like Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, is about to enter the final year of his Liverpool contract, and talks over a new agreement have been put on hold for a while.
The Reds have a solid connection with Mane’s agent, Bjorn Bezemer, and had planned to discuss about his future at the end of the season.
Growing rumors of Bayern’s interest – and an alleged meeting between Bezemer and Hasan Salihamidzic, the German club’s sports director – have not been kindly received at Anfield.
Club sources are said to be dissatisfied with the timing of such reports, which came at a time when Liverpool was chasing glory on numerous fronts. Mane has been in excellent form, but the speculation has been an unwelcome distraction, with Jurgen Klopp criticizing Bayern in a thinly veiled manner at his pre-Champions League final press conference.
How Close Is Sadio Mane To Joining Bayern?
There has been no formal bid from the Bundesliga champions at this time, and Liverpool sources stress that any fee for Mane would be significantly higher than the popularly cited €30 million (£25 million/$32 million).
Mane remains a crucial player in the club despite the January addition of Luis Diaz from Porto, so Liverpool would want to have a replacement lined up before selling.
Mane has 22 goals in all competitions this season, and his form has been particularly impressive since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he helped Senegal win the championship in Cameroon.
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