Sadio Mane's transfer from Liverpool to German champions Bayern Munich was made official on June 22, ending a month of speculation about the 30-year-old's future.
Although Mane played an important part in Liverpool's successful 2021/22 season, in which the club advanced to three finals and finished one point shy of the Premier League title, he had one year left on his contract at the age of 30.
It became apparent that a departure was a possibility even before the UEFA Champions League final loss in May. Talks between Liverpool and the player on an extension had apparently cooled by then, and media were already inquiring about his future.
The Senegal captain joined Liverpool from fellow Premier League side Southampton in 2016, and blossomed into a world-class star. His name remains in the conversation for the 2022 Ballon d'Or award.
During his tenure with the Reds, he won the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup, League Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, plus an Africa Cup of Nations title with Senegal earlier this year.
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Servus, Sadio! 🔴⚪️#ServusMané #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/RiZxFm2aYl
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) June 22, 2022
Reflecting on six special years 🤩
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 22, 2022
Liverpool legend Sadio Mane sat down with us for one last time to say goodbye, after completing his move to Bayern Munich.
Sadio Mane contract, salary at Bayern Munich
Multiple outlets confirmed that the player flew to Munich to undergo a medical the day before the finalization and announcement of the three-year deal that will pay him a reported £250,000 per week (€291,000 / $307,000), or about $16 million per season. It's been estimated in reports that he was making £150,000 per week in his most recent deal with Liverpool.
£250,000In comments released by German publication Bild on June 22, Mane said he only had Bayern on his mind after the season was done with Liverpool.
"My agent told me that there were enquiries from other clubs. That's part of the business," he said. “But I got the feeling right away when Bayern presented their plan to me. I found myself in Bayern's plan more than anyone else."
Sadio Mané during an interview with Bayern Munich: “When my agent first told me about Bayern's interest, I was immediately excited. I saw myself there right away. For me it was the right club at the right time." (Bild) pic.twitter.com/6C8eGDlRO6
— Get German Football News (@GGFN_) June 21, 2022
Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic:
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) June 21, 2022
"Sadio Mane is at the peak of his career, at a great age, is in great shape and he's greedy for titles - he's at exactly the right club. We're all proud and happy that such a world star comes to FC Bayern." #lfc [bild] pic.twitter.com/Eidy1r2Ukr
Bild had reported back on May 23 that a Mane move to Bayern was more likely than a contract extension at Liverpool, and that the player was seeking a new challenge after six campaigns at Liverpool.
Even before Mane had concluded his season with Liverpool, French daily L'Equipe reported that Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic had met with the player's representatives, a meeting that Sky Germany had also said took place.
🗣 Bayern Munich's Sporting Director Salihamidžić:
— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) June 21, 2022
"When I heard that Mané rejected all #Liverpool's attempts to extend his contract, I was immediately interested. Two days later, Julian Nagelsmann, Marco and I were on a plane to Liverpool" pic.twitter.com/46bDqZtsyy
Then after Liverpool's defeat to Real Madrid in Paris on May 28, Diario AS reported that Mane said goodbye to teammates with a move to Germany only requiring a transfer fee agreement between Liverpool and Bayern. He still participated in a season-ending parade for the Reds in Liverpool.
But in order to make the deal happen, Bayern needed to move considerably from its initial offer. On June 5, The Times journalist Paul Joyce reported Liverpool turned down the opening Bayern Munich bid for Mane, which amounted to £21 million (€24.5m / $26m) plus £4 million of add-ons.
Early on the Daily Mail said that Liverpool wanted at least £35 million ($43m, €41m) for him and eventually got what they were seeking.
Liverpool and Bayern Munich reach agreement on Sadio Mane deal. Guaranteed fee of £27.5million [€32million], plus £5million based on appearances and £2.6million based on individual and team achievements. The total package is worth £35.1million [€41million].
— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) June 17, 2022
Why did Sadio Mane leave Liverpool?
The €41 million ($43m, £35m) transfer fee reportedly shelled out by Bayern might seem low for a player of Mane's world-class standing, but there's good reason for it.
Mane's five-year deal signed in 2018 was set to expire in June 2023, meaning he had just one season remaining on his Liverpool contract. Plus he is also set to turn 31 next year.
With interested clubs aware that Liverpool could lose Mane for free next year, his market value was somewhat diminished, despite his exceptional performances last season. Reports in Spain suggested that Barcelona had also been monitoring his situation.
As recently as May, there were still indications that an extended stay with Liverpool was not out of the question as Mane hoped to secure a salary of £300,000 per week ($378k).
But the Reds are also juggling a possible contract extension for star forward Mohamed Salah, whose own deal also expires next year. It's possible that the club may have been unable to afford salary increases for both their star attacking players and was forced to choose one over the other.
The winter transfer window addition of Luis Diaz, who has proven a revelation at Anfield, makes the departure of Mane or Salah easier to swallow, but nonetheless it's clear losing one — or both — of their talismanic strikers could seriously dent Liverpool's future title hopes even with the recent acquisition of Darwin Nunez.
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What did Sadio Mane say about leaving Liverpool?
Mane addressed the rumors ahead of the Champions League final, promising Liverpool fans answers, but only after the season. Some took his words to be a signal that there was a chance he could stay at Liverpool. But days later, while on international duty with Senegal, his comments pointed to a departure.
“Like everyone else, I’m on social media and I see the comments,” he said in quotes carried by Goal. “Isn’t it between 60 to 70 percent of Senegalese that want me to leave Liverpool? I will do what they want."
Throughout the transfer process Mane at no point cited salary demands or other points of difference during the negotiations. His message to Liverpool fans after announcing his move to Bayern was one of thanks, fitting the image of a player who became a fan favorite:
"Difficult to find the right words for this. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, I am so pleased to be a very small part of this incredible success we had together during the last 6 years.
"You were always there. In good and in bad times. I never will forget this. Thank you again.
"You never walk alone."
MORE: Which Liverpool players have won the Ballon d'Or?
How will Sadio Mane fit in at Bayern Munich?
It's entirely reasonable that Mane would be so hotly pursued by Bayern Munich, as the Senegal striker is, on paper, a perfect fit for the Bavarian club.
Bayern are themselves facing the the possible departures of Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry, either this year or next.
Lewandowski has already announced he will not sign a new contract with the club, and while his current deal expires in June 2023, he's reportedly pushing for a more immediate move to Barcelona.
Gnabry, meanwhile, has been the subject of many rumors involving the likes of Real Madrid and Arsenal, similarly fueled by the expiry of his contract next summer.
Mane's versatility to play on the wing or up front as a central striker would be seen as an attractive option for Bayern to fill whichever gap opens up.