“The fans will love him” – Proud Bavarians present Sadio Mané
Sadio Mané completes a medical check in Munich
Sadio Mane arrived in Munich for a medical check before moving to Bayern Munich. The Liverpool star landed at the airport around midday on Tuesday and was taken to the Brothers of Mercy hospital.
With Sadio Mané, FC Bayern believes it is ready to return to the top of Europe. At the presentation, those responsible at Munich were bursting with pride. The transfer was developed more or less by chance in Hasan Salihamidzic’s garden.
Dhe newcomer got the big stage. On Wednesday afternoon, FC Bayern presented one of its most well-known additions in recent years: in the Munich stadium, he presented Sadio Mané, who is moving from Liverpool FC to the German record champions.
The club cheered on its website: “FC Bayern has a new attraction.” The hall in the arena was filled with camera teams and reporters, and coach Julian Nagelsmann took a seat in the second row as a listener. CEO Oliver Kahn, club president Herbert Hainer and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic proudly sat on the podium next to Mané.
New superstar: Oliver Kahn, Herbert Hainer and Hasan Salihamidzic (from left) are happy about Sadio Mané’s transfer
What: Getty Images/Johannes Simon
“I had other offers. I felt the great interest of this big club from the start. So there was no doubt for me from the start: This is the right time for this challenge,” said the 30-year-old striker. “I want to achieve great things with this club. I believe in the project, Bayern are one of the best teams in the world. We will try to win all possible titles. When you play for Bayern, you have to have this hunger.”
Finally a new superstar for the Bundesliga. In Erling Haaland (from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City) she has just lost one, in Robert Lewandowski a second could soon follow, FC Barcelona and Paris St. Germain are interested in Bayern’s world footballer. A big name with international importance is not only important for the club, but for German football.
“Sadio Mané is a world star who underscores FC Bayern’s appeal and increases the attractiveness of the entire Bundesliga,” said Hainer. “The fans come to the stadiums for such unique footballers. They will love him.” In recent years, the stars signed by big clubs have not always worked as consistently as hoped for Munich: James came from Real Madrid, Philippe Coutinho from FC Barcelona. Both played on loan. Bayern are apparently paying 32 million euros as a base amount for Mané, with additional payments the transfer fee is said to increase to 41 million euros.
Lewandowski’s departure is still not an option
Mané won the Champions League and the English championship with Liverpool, and the Africa Cup of Nations with his home country Senegal. He was Premier League top scorer, Africa’s Footballer of the Year, is his country’s record goalscorer and captain of his team. His transfer is an important success for the recently repeatedly criticized sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, whose contract, which was valid until the summer of 2023, has not yet been extended by the club management. He describes Mané as the “perfect player” for FC Bayern. “He’s a mentality monster that we need on the way to titles,” said Salihamidzic. “He will give our team a lot and support them.”
Salihamidzic had been working on the transfer for weeks. At a meeting with Mané’s adviser, who also represents Serge Gnabry, the idea came up in the sports director’s garden that Bayern and Mané could fit. Salihamidzic flew to Liverpool with Nagelsmann and technical director Marco Neppe and met Mané at his home. Nagelsmann explained to Sané what role he should play in his game system. “I can play in three or four positions,” Mané said on Wednesday. And added with a wink: “I’m just happy if the coach doesn’t put me in goal or in defence.”
New home: Sadio Mané wants to win many titles with FC Bayern
Credit: AFP/CHRISTOF STACHE
He arrived in Munich earlier this week. He completed the medical check, met with Kahn for lunch and signed a contract valid until June 30, 2025. Mané should get over 20 million euros a year from Bayern – and thus belong to the ranks of top earners around Lewandowski, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sané.
At the beginning of July, Mané will train with the Munich team for the first time, then the champions will start preparing for the new season. A promotional tour in the USA is scheduled for the end of July. If Mané has his way, it should be the beginning of something big. “My life has always been a challenge,” he said. At the age of 19, Mané moved to FC Metz and a year later to Red Bull Salzburg. Southampton FC signed him two years later, and in 2016 he signed for Liverpool.
Salihamidzic believes in a season with Mané and Lewandowski, who was willing to emigrate. “Our position on this matter is clear: Robert has a contract until the summer of 2023,” said the 45-year-old “Sport Bild”. A possibly significantly higher offer from FC Barcelona will not change that. “I don’t deal with that,” said Salihamidzic.
Mané’s commitment should also have no effect on the future of national player Gnabry. “We definitely want to deepen the talks with Serge again to see if he is willing to extend this transfer window,” said Salihamidzic. You don’t want to build up any pressure.
It doesn’t even need that. The competition in the Bayern squad has intensified this week. To the delight of the club bosses: After missing the semi-finals in the Champions League in the past two years, Mané should be able to return to the top of Europe. “I said that we need fresh blood and changes,” said club boss Kahn. “We want to create new stimulus points. Sadio Mané is an absolute world-class player. His presence alone can raise the level within a team. He wants to win titles and has ended up at the right club.”
