According to rumours, Bayern Munich has made Sadio Mane of Liverpool their priority target for the summer transfer season.
Mane has been extensively linked with a move to the Bundesliga, and Bild reports that his representatives met with the German club in Mallorca to explore a potential deal.
However, Mane, whose contract expires in 2023, has stated that he will not divulge his future plans until after Liverpool’s Champions League final against Real Madrid this weekend.
Mane is in the final year of his Anfield deal and has been linked with a move to Germany after six years at the club.
Despite interest from Ligue 1 heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich is reported to be in prime position to sign Mane this summer.
PSG’s recent deal with Kylian Mbappe may also cause the French club to withdraw from the race, having just offered the 23-year-old a new three-year contract worth £42.5 million (€50 million).
Bayern Munich are interested in signing Mane this summer because they believe Robert Lewandowski will depart for Barcelona.
Lewandowski is said to have agreed to personal terms with Barcelona, but the details of the proposed trade have yet to be released.
Bayern Munich president Hasan Salihamidzic and manager Julian Nagelsmann believe that a “statement” signing would help to mitigate the loss of the Polish striker.
However, should Lewandowski stay at the club, they would continue to play him up front and utilise Mane on the flank next season.
When asked explicitly about a summer move to Bayern Munich, Mane stated that he will provide clarity on his future only after Liverpool’s Champions League final on Saturday.
‘I think the question is a really excellent question, for now it’ll be difficult for me to say,’ he told reporters following Liverpool’s open training session on Wednesday.
But I’m definitely focused on the Champions League. ‘Ask me a question after the Champions League, and I will respond.’
If Bayern Munich does sign Mané, it will almost certainly mark the end of Serge Gnabry’s stay at the club:
If the Mané trade goes through, Gnabry appears to be bidding his final goodbyes. Negotiations over a possible extension with the DFB star have been ongoing for months. The winger is yet to accept the club’s increased offer (BILD reported).
