Sadio Mane close to Liverpool exit as Bayern chiefs fly to England ‘ready to pay £42m fee’

Liverpool star Sadio Mane is edging ever closer to a £42million exit from Anfield to Bayern Munich, according to reports. The German side have sent a delegation to England to seal a deal for the Senegalese star just a few weeks after they were only told to fly into England if they had a serious offer ready. 

Mane, 30, has been tipped to make an exit from Anfield after six superb seasons under Jurgen Klopp which saw him win a Premier League, a Champions League and two domestic cups. Bayern are the club set to secure his signature and Liverpool have already replaced the winger with Darwin Nunez.

Talks have stalled for a number of weeks given Bayern’s low-ball offers for Mane’s services, with the last bid totalling just £30m including add-ons. But with Nunez’s arrival, Mane is edging ever closer to a move to Bavaria, and a move could be expedited this weekend with Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic and a Bayern entourage in England to take Mane back to the Bundesliga champions, according to the Daily Mirror.

The report states that Bayern’s contingent will arrive in England today (Friday) in order to strike a deal with Liverpool chiefs. Mane made his intentions to leave clear to Reds bosses after the Champions League final loss to Real Madrid last month after a new contract could not be agreed.

The club refused to break their wage structure – even for one of their best players – as they look to secure their long-term future financially. Bayern have courted Mane since the end of the season, making two formal bids for the player – although their offers were laughed off with the second including a clause that meant a bonus payment would only be owed if Mane won three straight Ballon d’Or awards.

Liverpool chiefs have made it adamantly clear to Bayern that they would not meet at the table unless Mane’s £42m valuation was met. And that will be the topic of discussion over the weekend with a deal wanting to be done on both sides. Liverpool are willing to let Mane go due to his services to the club.

German media have reported that personal terms have already been agreed with Mane on a three-year contract worth £360,000-a-week – a figure that Liverpool would have come nowhere near close to matching. Virgil van Dijk and Alisson are said to be the club’s highest earners on around £220,000-a-week, a figure that is relatively low for a club who achieve as much as Liverpool do.