Sadio Mane enjoyed fan adoration at Liverpool before he transferred to Bayern Munich last summer for an estimated fee of £35 million, including add-ons.
However, the Senegalese forward is now poised to leave Bayern, as a move to Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League appears imminent, pending official confirmation.
Although he only joined Bayern the previous season and secured the Bundesliga title with the club, Sadio Mane seems eager for a fresh challenge, as his time there has not been as successful as anticipated.
During his time with Liverpool, the Reds’ former no.10 impressively netted 120 goals in 269 games and collected an array of prestigious trophies, including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
With this impressive track record, many had high hopes for his performance in Germany after his move to Bayern Munich. However, his tenure in Munich was cut short due to a disagreement with his teammate, the former Manchester City winger Leroy Sane.
Following the altercation, Mane faced significant consequences, including a hefty £250,000 fine and a suspension from the team. Under the management of Thomas Tuchel, he found himself largely out of favor.
Now, as he considers a move to the Middle East, Liverpool may receive a reduced amount compared to the initial £35 million agreed upon with Bayern Munich.
The deal between Liverpool and Bayern Munich originally stood at £27.5 million, with an additional £5 million contingent on appearances and £2.5 million in add-ons based on both individual and team achievements.
Unfortunately, Mane’s time at Bayern was marred by a leg injury that required surgery, leading to his absence from a significant portion of the team’s matches, limiting his appearances as an attacker.
The limited number of minutes Mane played last season could impact how much of the add-ons Liverpool will receive from the Bundesliga outfit if he does leave in this window.
Liverpool can look forward to receiving more than the initial £27.5m fee though, as Bayern secured the Bundesliga title amid an underwhelming season where they did not win any other silverware.
The Merseyside club are currently undergoing a massive rebuild as they look to challenge for titles next season following a largely unsuccessful 2022/23 season.
Several of their players have been moved on, such as Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, James Milner, and Roberto Firmino to name a few.
They have so far managed to sign the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister so far this window, and are currently eyeing up Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, though they have had a £45m bid rejected so far.