Sadio Mane
Age: 30
Position: Left winger / forward
Moves from Liverpool to Bayern Munich
Transfer fee: 32 million euros
Serv 𝙏𝙃𝙀 🌍 𝙈𝙄𝙏 𝙎𝘼𝘿𝙄𝙊 🤩 # ServusMané #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/KveyGHxAoo
- FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) June 22, 2022
What did he give Liverpool?
Quite a bit, the biggest star in Senegal’s history came to Liverpool in the summer of 2016 and quickly became one of the players who made the most meteoric improvement under Jürgen Klopp.
He played 269 games in the Mighty Reds uniform in which he scored 120 goals and netted another 48.
He has won in his time in the English port city one championship, the Champions League, the English Cup, the League Cup, the European Super Cup and the World Cup for clubs.
Gave a lot to Liverpool, Photo: AFP
What is expected of him at Bayern?
Across England they tried to understand Mana's motives in this transfer when many claimed he wanted to enjoy the years he had left in a less difficult league than the Premier League, and after six years in the most swanky league in the world he felt he had achieved everything he had dreamed of coming from Southampton Reds.
He also realized that the club would not agree to give him the salary he was asking for.
On the other hand, it could be that a new challenge in another luxury group in Europe, is the one that winked at him and what seems like a desire to be in a more comfortable place, is not necessarily comfortable for Mana.
Regardless of his motives, Bayern, who are about to say goodbye to Robert Lewandowski, (who is counting down the days to sign for Barcelona), looked for a figure and pounced on Mana willingly.
Reflecting on six special years 🤩
Liverpool legend Sadio Mane sat down with us for one last time to say goodbye, after completing his move to Bayern Munich.
- Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 22, 2022
It is highly probable that Mana and his new coach Julian Naglesman spoke quite a bit before signing when one thing is clear to both of them - Lewandowski's shoes and numbers are not really possible to enter, but it is very possible that Mana will bring Bayern things that not even the Polish phenomenon brought.
Professionally, Mana started last season on the left wing, where he spent most of his six seasons at Liverpool, but following his departure to the Africa Cup of Nations and also because of Luis Diaz's arrival in January, Mana was moved to the central striker position and it worked great.
The Senegalese has always been a player who does not get the most attention he deserves, he seemed to be underappreciated even though he did a tremendous job.
Even as he played on the left wing of the attack he walked quite a bit to the center of the pitch to release pressure, dribble and find his teammates with precise key dedication.
Never received credit, Photo: AFP
He knew how to cut to the center of the extension and make an exchange with his friends, something that together with Leroy Sana and Serge Gnabry could work as convincingly as he had with Salah and Firmino.
While it is too early to know for sure which direction Bayern may be developing tactically, while few would have chosen Mana to play as a fake nine before the current season, it is now clear that Mana could fill that role at a high level.
In the Champions League final after the loss to Real, Photo: AFP
Socially and in everything related to off the field, it seems that Mana can contribute quite a bit.
Because of the experience, the leadership he displayed in the uniform of the team that won the last African Championship and the desire to continue to win titles in the team, for which a local double is sometimes considered another routine thing.
Demonstrated leadership in the team, Photo: AFP
The real test in Bavaria is always winning the Champions League, and if Mana manages to bring Bayern back to the top of European football, no one can criticize the selection.
As far as Bayern are concerned?
The relatively minimal money it has invested in it, in today's era, and although the narrative in England shamanic will only go away from its peak, it will only give a boost to both sides to prove they can reinvent themselves.
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