Sadio Mane has officially moved from Liverpool to Bayern Munich after completing a transfer that cost £35 million and included a three-year deal.
The Reds will receive 32 million euros, which is equivalent to £27.4 million. In addition, they will receive an additional 6 million euros based on appearances, in addition to 3 million euros for individual and team achievements.
Before reaching an agreement with Liverpool on a transfer cost for the Senegalese attacker who was under contract until the next summer, Bayern made two offers for his services.
The individual who was 30 years old stated that "now is the perfect moment to take on this endeavor."
"Right from the beginning, I could sense the significant interest of this major club, so there was no question in my mind."
Mane moved to Liverpool from Southampton in June 2016 for a fee of £34 million and has since scored 120 goals in 269 games. He finished the 2017–18 campaign with 23 goals in all competitions.
"Sadio Mane is an international star who underscores the appeal of FC Bayern and raises the attractiveness of the entire Bundesliga," stated Herbert Hainer, the president of Bayern. "Sadio Mane underscores the appeal of FC Bayern and increases the attractiveness of the entire Bundesliga." "Football fans go to the stadiums to see such exceptional players because they want to see something special,"
The attacker Sadio Mane is leaving Liverpool; what does this signify for the club?
In addition to contributing to Liverpool's victories in the Premier League and the Champions League, Mane netted the game-winning penalty in February as Senegal became the first team from their country to win the Africa Cup of Nations.
"With his excellent performances and his big accomplishments at the highest international level over many years, there are very few players in the world like him," noted Oliver Kahn, the chief executive of Bayern. "He is one of the very few players in the world who can say that."
"In the years to come, we are confident that Sadio Mane's exceptional playing style will continue to win the hearts of our supporters. He has high aspirations and is ready to achieve further success. This bundle contains very powerful elements. When FC Bayern has players of his caliber, even the most ambitious aims are within reach."
The transfer of Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez from Benfica to Liverpool for an initial fee of £64 million was announced and confirmed by Liverpool last week.
Mane expressed the following sentiments in his exit interview for the Liverpool website: "Although it feels very strange to no longer be a player for Liverpool, I can honestly say that I had an amazing experience there. I am going to spend the rest of my life as Liverpool's most devoted fan."
Is the 'end of an era' approaching at Anfield with Mane's departure?
After Jurgen Klopp was named manager of Liverpool in October 2015, Sadio Mane was the German's first significant signing at Anfield the following summer. Mane joined Liverpool from Southampton.
Mohammed Salah joined the club in 2017, bringing with him the final piece to what would become one of the best forward lines in the history of the Premier League. Roberto Firmino had previously been playing for the club.
They scored 338 goals between them during the course of five seasons in all competitions, which contributed to Liverpool's success in 2019 in becoming the champions of Europe for the sixth time and subsequently in winning the English league title for the first time in 30 years.
As the three players moved into or got closer to their 30s, Liverpool made preparations for the evolution of their attacking lines by acquiring Diogo Jota and subsequently Luis Diaz. However, Mane's exit from Anfield may be interpreted as the end of an era at the club.
Klopp was quoted as saying on the Liverpool website that "it is a significant moment, and there is no point in anyone attempting to pretend differently."
"It is imperative that we recognize the gravity of the situation given that Liverpool is losing one of its all-time great players. But we must not wallow in what we will soon be deprived of; rather, we should rejoice in the blessings that were bestowed upon us."
Will Jurgen Klopp be able to lead Liverpool to a second wave of success on Merseyside as a result of the summer acquisitions of Nunez and the teenager Fabio Carvalho from Fulham, in addition to the signings of Jota and Diaz?