Liverpool brought Sadio Mane's Bayern transfer flirtation on themselves

FT Desk

• Updated: 8 Jun 2022 07:54 CDT
• 4 min read

Sadio Mane looks to be on the cusp of joining Bayern Munich from Liverpool, but it could have been so different for the Premier League side if they had their wage structure in order.

Mane looks increasingly likely to bring his glittering six-year Anfield stay to an end this summer, with Bayern making the Senegalese attacking all-rounder their primary transfer target.

The attacker has reportedly already agreed personal terms with the German champions, with a transfer fee all that's left to be agreed with Liverpool - the Bundesliga side's opening bid of €25 million having been dismissed out of hand.

Premier League and Champions League winners in recent seasons, Liverpool have grown unaccustomed to losing players at the peak of their powers: the likes of Harry Wilson, Taiwo Awoniyi and Xherdan Shaqiri were all deemed surplus to requirements before leaving last summer.

Indeed, the last player to leave Liverpool with the club still planning with them was Philippe Coutinho, but his €135m move to Barcelona happened nearly four-and-a-half years ago.

Does Mane still have it?

Mane may have turned 30 in April, but he remains one of the biggest attacking assets in world football.

Last season Mane contributed 23 goals and five assists from across Liverpool's front three in all competitions, and having led Senegal to Africa Cup of Nations glory in February, he looks to be a frontrunner for this season's Ballon d'Or.

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp remains a huge fan of Mane.

"He’s a machine, I told him after the game," Klopp said after Mane had scored the winner against Aston Villa in May.

"He's a massive player. His physicality is brutal, this mix of technique, desire, and physicality in this moment when everybody has a few yards in the legs, you can see it with him to be honest.

"Top goal, just fantastic, a world-class player."

So what on Earth is going on with Mane?

Mane sends a significant portion of his income back to his native Senegal in order to build schools and hospitals, and eschews the trappings afforded by professional football, famously walking around with a chipped and dated iPhone.

But what if you knew that he was on exactly HALF of Mo Salah's income at Liverpool, for largely the same job in the team - if from the opposite flank? While Salah brings home £200,000 a week, for Mane it's £100,000.

If that doesn't rankle with the player, then how about the fact that Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain - bit-part players - also earn more than Mane? £1 million a year more.

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What are Bayern offering Mane?

German Sports daily Bild report that Bayern are ready to offer Mane €20m a year, which would make him the joint-highest paid player at the club alongside Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane - assuming Robert Lewandowski does indeed leave for Barcelona.

That is circa €13m than he currently earns - and significantly more schools, hospitals and infrastructure in his native Sedhiou Region in Senegal.

Liverpool may have an embarrassment of attacking riches with the likes of Luis Diaz and Jota joining Mane and Sala in the final third, but the fact they didn't pay Mane in line with his ability is their biggest reason to blush this summer.