Liverpool have been proven right by Mane despite Merson hammering Reds

Liverpool have been proved right for selling Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich in the summer despite Paul Merson insisting that it was the ‘worst business ever’. The Senegalese star has had a torrid time with the Bavarian giants since putting pen to paper on a deal worth £27.5m.

Mane was brought in to help supplement Bayern’s goal tally following the departure of star striker Robert Lewandowski but has failed to live up to expectations so far at the Allianz Arena. The 31-year-old has scored just seven league goals so far this campaign and was recently involved in a major dressing room bust-up with teammate Leroy Sane.

Following a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League Mane allegedly hit Sane in the face which led to him being suspended by the club. Mane returned to the fold for the second leg after missing a league tie with Hoffenheim and was hit with the biggest fine in Bayern history.

A staggering £310,000 (€350,000) far exceeded the £44,000 (€50,000) sum that Franck Ribery had to cough up when he was involved in an altercation with Arjen Robben back in 2012. But around the time Liverpool let him go, many believed the Reds had made a massive mistake with Mane still regularly appearing in the top Premier League player charts for goals and assists.

Among the most vocal critics of the transfer was Arsenal icon Paul Merson, who told Sky Sports: “I’ve said it from day one, in my opinion selling Sadio Mane was the worst business ever. The bloke scores big, big goals. Go through them, first goals, equalisers, winning goals in last minutes, big goals.

“He led from the front with his closing down, and for me, what they sold him for, I just didn’t get it. Their problems at the back start from the front.

“They’re not closing down as a unit – you can go on about how talented that front three was, but they closed down from the front. It only took one more pass, and they’d score.”

While Mane has contributed 12 goals and five assists in 34 games for Bayern, the 31-year-old’s general performance levels in Bavaria have left a lot to be desired. There is talk the German champions will even sell him this summer after his bust-up with Sane.

And that helps show that Liverpool were right to sell, given Mane’s value is only decreasing. Had they kept him they would’ve had to extend his contract and keep him on big wages while his standards drop or they would’ve lost him on a free this summer. Clearly, getting £25m was better than losing him as a free agent given Liverpool’s financial restrictions.

At Anfield, Mane has gone on to be replaced by Luis Diaz on the left wing and the Colombian – despite being sidelined by a knee injury for 32 games this term – has been in excellent form when he has been fit. Likewise Darwin Nunez has shown flashes of the player he can become although the consistency of his finishing needs honing.