Suspended, fined and no longer first choice, Sadio Mane appears to have no future at Bayern Munich – but a return to Liverpool is not on the cards.
Mane watched on as a spectator during Bayern’s 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim on Saturday, having been suspended after striking team-mate Leroy Sane in the face.
The incident occurred following the 3-0 defeat to Man City in midweek, and according to Sky Germany‘s Florian Plettenberg also brought the biggest fine any Bayern player has ever received.
Bayern are now looking to sell their No. 17 in the summer transfer window.
Plettenberg is quoted by Get German Football News as telling Sky90 that the Bundesliga club will “try everything” to move Mane on, with Thomas Tuchel claimed to have “no plans” for him.
“The player is seen very critically internally,” the reporter added, explaining that Bayern view their £35.1 million deal with Liverpool as a “mistake.”
He even said: “There’s a joke doing the rounds at Sabener Strasse that Bayern signed Mane’s twin brother, not the one from Liverpool.”
Mane is reported to earn over £350,000 per week at Bayern, which makes his growing malaise more of a concern for a club who gambled heavily on the Senegalese last summer.
However, while Football Insider reported on Saturday that Mane has told friends he “misses Liverpool” and that a Premier League return was possible, he is not likely to be heading back to Anfield.
BILD report that a move back to Liverpool was “not an option” for Mane, with Jurgen Klopp building a new-look attack in his absence.
Luis Diaz was signed prior to his switch to Bayern, and since then both Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo have been brought in – the latter of whom has replaced Roberto Firmino.
With Mohamed Salah signing a new long-term contract last summer along with Diogo Jota, there is little room for another senior forward in Klopp’s ranks.
There could be concerns over Mane’s longevity, too, with suggestions that he is now lacking the speed and thrust that made him such a key player at Anfield.
Liverpool also have Ben Doak breaking through from the academy, while there remain hopes for Kaide Gordon despite over a year out through injury and the likes of Bobby Clark, Trent Kone-Doherty and Lewis Koumas are coming up.
There is a chance he does head back to the Premier League, but Mane is highly unlikely to be doing so with Liverpool.
