Liverpool star Sadio Mane is angling for a move to Bayern Munich, although no official talks will be held until after the Champions League final.
That’s according to SportBILD, who explain the plan in the place for the deal to go through this summer.
They explain that the Liverpool forward is ‘strongly leaning towards’ a move to Bayern, but there have not been official talks as yet.
They been put on hold until after the Champions League final on Saturday, with Mane’s planning to win that then ‘say goodbye to Jurgen Klopp and hello, FC Bayern’.
The German giants have made the Senegalese star a ‘top priority’ and, in addition to telephone conversations, have held a meeting with his agent Björn Bezemer in Mallorca.
After six years at Liverpool, Mane is ‘looking for a new challenge’, and with his contract expiring in 2023, now is the time to find it.
His relationship with Klopp is ‘not said to be the closest’, particularly with the Liverpool coach personally pushing Mohamed Salah to sign but not doing the same with Mane.
The main sticking point for Bayern at the moment is they want to do a deal at around €30m, but Liverpool are only willing to talk for a figure of €50m.
Thus, there’s a big difference between the two parties, although Bayern could have more money to spend if Serge Gnabry departs.
He’s yet to accept a new contract offer from the German giants, and if that continues, they’ll look to sell and then replace him with Mane.
For now, though, the player’s focus is entirely on Liverpool, as he made clear to Marca when asked if he’d sign for Real Madrid.
“Good question, but to be honest I am very focused on the Champions League which is for me and for Liverpool fans the most important thing. Everything else is not important to me.”
There is a growing confidence at Bayern they can get their man, though, with RMC adding that they believe the player will announce a departure after the Champions League final, an idea that ties neatly with SportBILD’s proposed plan.
🔴 Sadio Mané pourrait rejoindre le Bayern cet été. En Bavière, on commence à penser avec une certaine confiance que le joueur de 30 ans annoncera son départ de Liverpool après la finale de la Ligue des champions.
— RMC Sport (@RMCsport) May 27, 2022
