https://arab.news/zaemw
- Liverpool will receive 32 million euros ($33.5 million) up front for Mané
- Mané just completed arguably the best season of his career
DUBAI: Sadio Mané looks to be headed for Bayern Munich, ending his trophy-filled six-year spell at Liverpool in a move that would finally split up one of the most devastating forward lines in the history of English soccer.
A person familiar with the situation said on Friday that Liverpool reached an agreement with the German champion for the transfer of the 30-year-old Senegal forward in a total package worth 41 million euros ($42.9 million).
The person spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the deal, which has not yet been completed.
Liverpool will receive 32 million euros ($33.5 million) up front for Mané, with a further 6 million euros ($6.3 million) due when he meets a specified appearance clause and an additional 3 million euros ($3.15 million) based on individual and team achievements.
Mané just completed arguably the best season of his career, converting the clinching penalty in a shootout to win the African Cup of Nations for Senegal, helping his country qualify for the World Cup, and starring for Liverpool in a campaign where the club nearly achieved an unprecedented quadruple of major trophies.
His last game for Liverpool was the 1-0 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League final last month.
He has won every major honor with Liverpool — the Champions League and World Club Cup in 2019, the Premier League in 2020 and both the FA Cup and League Cup in 2022 — and looks to be seeking a fresh challenge with what is likely to be the last major move of his career.
Along with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, Mané was part of a front three that led Liverpool to most of those titles and had pretty much everything — power, pace, great movement and combination play.
Firmino was marginalized last season because of injury and the performances of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz — attackers who have joined Liverpool over the past two years — and could be the next of the established trio to leave. Firmino and Salah have one year left on their current deals.
Mané mostly played as a left winger for Liverpool after joining from Southampton in 2016 but converted to a central striker for the second half of last season following the signing of Diaz. He impressed in his new role, scoring nine goals in his last 14 games in all competitions, and could continue there at Bayern amid uncertainty over the future of striker Robert Lewandowski.
The prolific Poland striker said last month he wants to leave Bayern and has been linked with a move to Barcelona.
Liverpool have already signed a replacement for Mané in Darwin Núñez, the Uruguay international who has joined from Benfica.