Sadio Mane is set to join Bayern Munich from Liverpool. having played a key role in Jurgen Klopp's revamping of the club
Sadio Mane is close to joining Bayern Munich for £35.1 million. After 120 goals in 269 appearances, many of which were critical, the Senegalese international is ready to quit Liverpool. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp faces a difficult task in replacing Mane's skills.
Jurgen Klopp definitely didn't want to talk about transfer rumors in his press conference before of the Champions League final, but queries on Sadio Mane's future were answered in detail and with effusive praise, despite the incongruity.
Mane has been hailed as "in the best form of his life" ahead of the final, with Klopp saying he "couldn't care less" about reports connecting him to Bayern Munich. "It's a delight to see him in training and games right now," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp remarked.
Klopp was well aware that the match against Real Madrid would most likely be Mane's final appearance for Liverpool at the time. His desire for a fresh challenge became apparent only days after the setback at the Stade de France, and a move to Bayern Munich looks to be on the cards a month later.
Klopp was effusive in his admiration of the 30-year-old till the very end, which is revealing. Liverpool is resentful of his departure, but there are no bitter feelings. After everything he's done for them, no way.
Even though he, too, was nearing the final year of his contract at Anfield, Mane's future had been a bit of a sideshow until the closing weeks of the season.
It's a well-known dynamic. Despite the fact that Mane is adored by Liverpool fans, he receives a fraction of the attention and accolades that his teammate does. That has been the case since the Egyptian's arrival in 2017, a year after his.
He leaves, though, having played a comparable pivotal role in Liverpool's transition under Klopp, leaving a lasting impression on the club and the Premier League as a whole.
In 2016, his arrival from Southampton marked the beginning of a magnificent chapter. After all, Mane was Klopp's first significant signing. He embodied Klopp's Liverpool more than anybody else, being quick, furiously aggressive, and brutally efficient.
He helped Salah redefine expectations for wide strikers by scoring double digits in six straight seasons and scoring at least 20 goals in four of them. His overall tally of 120 places him 14th all-time in Liverpool's scoring statistics.
His stats seal his Liverpool legacy, while his consistency, as well as his key involvement in the club's first championship success in 30 years in 2020, secures Premier League glory.
Only three players have scored more Premier League goals than Mane throughout his tenure at Liverpool, and only one has scored more game-winning goals, Tottenham's Harry Kane.
Indeed, one of Mane's greatest assets, and one that sets him apart from his colleagues, is his ability to perform when the stakes are at their highest and the pressure is at its maximum.