Mané, a Liverpool legend, is on the verge of moving to the Allianz Arena for an initial cost of £27 million, which may rise to £35.1 million if add-ons are triggered.
Sadio Mané is on his way out of Liverpool. The Reds have agreed a deal with Bayern Munich in the previous week, setting the path for the 30-year-old to undergo a medical and formalize his verbal agreement on personal terms.
Liverpool fans expressed their gratitude in droves after hearing the news. The club may be able to digest his departure, but he remains a modern Anfield legend, and his departure will sting in that regard.
Mané is not the first crucial member of Premier League and title-winning teams to go. Georginio Wijnaldum, the dependable midfielder, left for Paris-Saint Germain at the end of his contract last summer. However, Mané is the first of Liverpool's famed front three to depart.
Both Wijnaldum and Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool's most recent superstar departure, have struggled. The former was just named Ligue 1 Flop of the Year in a survey conducted by Get French Football News, while the latter fell so far short of expectations that it was relegated to the second division.
In contrast, all of the components appear to be in place for Mané to prosper at the Allianz Arena.
Coutinho was cautioned by Jürgen Klopp that he would be 'simply another player' at Barcelona, while Wijnaldum has failed to establish himself as a first-choice option in Paris. But, with Robert Lewandowski announcing his decision to leave Bayern, Mané is expected to be the club's biggest star.
In the absence of Lewandowski, he could easily fill in as the team's number nine, having thrived in that capacity at Liverpool in the second half of the 2021/22 season. Furthermore, according to one study conducted by The Athletic, Bayern Munich is the closest stylistic fit for Liverpool of any side in the top five leagues. He should be able to do it.
Because of their domestic supremacy, Mané should potentially be aiming for the 30-goal milestone in the Bundesliga. In each of the last three seasons, Lewandowski has surpassed that mark. With £2.6m in add-ons related to individual and team performance, this may be beneficial for Liverpool, but it could also lead to emotions of regret. It would demonstrate that Mané still has a lot to give Klopp's team and that he is still one of the top players in the world.
And, with the club refusing to accept Mohamed Salah's pay demands, could this potentially impact Liverpool's thinking?
If letting Mané go for £27 million appears to be a mistake, may the club be afraid of making an even bigger mistake with Salah?
There would be no transfer fee to cushion the shock this time, and Salah is probably closer to the pinnacle of his abilities, having scored 31 goals in consecutive seasons (compared to Mané's 23 and 16). Most importantly, he is willing to join a direct Premier League adversary.
Liverpool may believe that Klopp's system is perfectly designed for the two players to succeed, but if they demonstrate that they can be just as effective elsewhere, their loss will be more devastating. Indeed, these are the guys who could make or break domestic and European rivals in the Premier League and Champions League.
Of course, Darwin Nez's performance in his rookie season could play a significant role.
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