Sadio Mane, a forward for Bayern Munich, is in negotiations with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr and, should he sign there, would team up with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mane moved to Bayern from Liverpool in a £35.1 million deal last summer, but his first campaign did not go as planned. The striker managed just seven goals in the Bundesliga and was sidelined with an injury for the World Cup.
The Senegal national team player, who is expected to depart the German champions this summer, recently wouldn’t rule out a surprise return to the Premier League. Mane has even been connected to a transfer to Manchester United, who need bolstering their offensive line.
It follows Mane’s revelation that, in 2016, he left Southampton and moved to Merseyside despite having a contract in place to join United. But now the competition is being led by the Saudi Arabian team, who have already signed Seko Fofana and Marcelo Brozovic this summer.
The Athletic was the first to report that Mane’s representatives and Goran Vucevic, the sporting director of Al-Nassr, met in Portugal to negotiate a transfer. All sides are willing to go through with the plan since it would give Bayern more money to pursue Harry Kane of Tottenham.
Mane told SportBild earlier this year: “I met Cristiano Ronaldo in Mallorca before this season after my move was completed. He congratulated me and told me: ‘A great club. This is a great step for you.
“That sums up the Bundesliga well and emphasizes what I’ve previously said: I believe you’re underestimating the Bundesliga here. Recent Champions League performances are evidence of that.
Mane scored 120 goals in 269 games for Liverpool and won six major awards while playing for Jurgen Klopp’s team. The forward was difficult to replace. He was unable to maintain such form in the Bundesliga, though.
Along with inconsistent play, the 31-year-old was given a late-season Bundesliga match suspension by the German champions after reportedly striking teammate Leroy Sane following their 3-0 Champions League loss at Man City.
The ex-Reds attacker received a stiff fine in addition to being barred from Bayern’s Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim at the Allianz Arena. With competition from players like Sane, Serge Gnabry, and Thomas Muller, Mane has found it difficult to establish himself as a fixture in the club’s attack due to form and fitness difficulties.