Sadio Mané will refine the Bundesliga in the future: As expected, the Senegalese world star is moving to FC Bayern Munich. For the German record champions, the transfer is a coup that should have consequences for prominent players.
The change was almost certain since the end of last week, now it's official: Senegalese international striker Sadio Mané has signed a contract with FC Bayern Munich until 2025. The German record champions and Mané's previous club FC Liverpool had previously agreed on the modalities of the transfer: The Bundesliga club should pay a base fee of 32 million euros for the offensive player, and there could also be performance-related bonus payments of up to 9 million euros. Mané switched from Southampton FC to Liverpool FC in 2016 and has since played a key role in the greatest successes in recent club history.
"In any case, we are all happy and proud that we can bring such a great player, such a world star to Munich," said sports director Hasan Salihamidzic on Sky TV. Board boss Oliver Kahn enthuses in a club statement: "We are happy that we were able to win Sadio Mané for FC Bayern. Thanks to his outstanding performance and his great successes at the top international level, he has been a player for many years as only you can few in the world. We are convinced that Sadio Mané will bring a lot of joy to our fans in the years to come with his spectacular way of playing."
There should also be a lot of joy around Munich, which Mané himself says: "I'm very happy to finally be with FC Bayern in Munich. We've had a lot of talks and I felt the great interest of this big club from the start. For So I had no doubts from the start: This is the right time for this challenge. I want to achieve a lot with this club, including internationally."
With the signing of Manés, who should be used primarily on the offensive flanks and by no means as a 1-1 replacement for the exodus-crazed striker Robert Lewandowski, FC Bayern managed an “incredible transfer” like the former Liverpool keeper Loris Karius did recently described to Sport1. "When my agent first told me about Bayern Munich's interest, I was hooked. I saw myself there straight away. For me, it was the right club at the right time. It's one of the biggest clubs in the world and the team always fights for all titles," said the Senegalese, explaining his choice.
Record national player Lothar Matthäus also certified his ex-club via Sky as an "absolutely super transfer" and "a wonderful attraction for the whole Bundesliga". There was even recognition from the direct competition: It would be great for the Bundesliga if such a player came, said BVB new signing Karim Adeyemi. But Mané would "unfortunately go to the wrong club."
Finally, the Bayern President himself joined the chorus of fans: "Sadio Mané is a world star who underlines the appeal of FC Bayern and increases the attractiveness of the entire Bundesliga. The fans come to the stadiums for such unique footballers," announced Herbert Hainer. "It's great that our board of directors, led by Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidžić, were able to sign a player like Sadio Mané for Bayern."
Regardless of the different core competencies, Mané's arrival should also bring movement to the move from Poland to FC Barcelona, which has been vehemently talked about for weeks by Robert Lewandowski's camp and denied by those responsible at FC Bayern with the same vehemence. With the presentation of the African world star, the position of the categorical "Basta!", to which CEO Oliver Kahn and Sport Director Hasan Salihamidžić had withdrawn early on, could be vacated with an appealing transfer buzzer while saving face.
The Allianz Arena is a good place for the 30-year-old: in 2019, the attacker scored twice in Liverpool's 3-1 win in the Champions League round of 16. In the future, Mané, who then won the Champions League with Liverpool FC and won the club's first championship in 30 years in 2020, will score his goals for FC Bayern. In 2019, Mané was top scorer in the Premier League and voted African Footballer of the Year.
Mané, who first led his country to winning the Africa Cup of Nations this year and then to the World Cup in Qatar in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, will not only bring glory and a goal threat to Munich, but will also increase the pressure on the squad - above all on the wingers Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry.
Sané, who only switched from Manchester City back to the Bundesliga in 2020 for a total of around 60 million euros, was only rarely able to bring his undisputed extra class to the pitch in his first two years at Bayern. And Gnabry, who was recently in a low state of performance, continues to flirt with a free transfer after his contract expires next summer.
"Mané can really play anything in the offensive positions," said former national player Markus Babbel, once in the service of FC Bayern and Liverpool FC, ran.de. That makes him extremely valuable for a coach and also fuels internal competition. "Some will have to step on the gas a little more now," said Babbel. "This deal finally has a certain radiance again." Mané is an absolute world-class player, "who won everything there was to win with Liverpool FC. It's a house brand that will not only do the club good, but the whole Bundesliga," stressed Babbel. Liverpool FC had already signed a replacement for Mané with the 100 million transfer of striker Darwin Nuñez from Benfica Lisbon.
