FC Cologne head coach Steffen Baumgart is excited by the arrival of Sadio Mane in the Bundesliga.
The winger joined champions Bayern Munich earlier this summer, ending a six year spell at Anfield. The deal is worth an initial £27.4m but the fee could rise to £35m if all potential add-ons are paid out.
Mane trained with his new club for the first time on Friday as they begin their preparations for the 2022/23 season. The German club will later head to the states for their pre-season tour with games against DC United and Manchester City.
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Baumgart was appointed head coach of Cologne in July last year and he guided his side to a seventh-placed finish last term. This season, however, he's excited to face one player in particular.
Speaking on Mane, he told Sport1 : " It’s awesome, absolutely outstanding. I’m already looking forward to the game against Bayern like crazy. I used to go to Liverpool to see him live and now he’s coming to my stadium.
"I can’t ask for more. It’s great that they have this courage in Munich.”
He'll have to wait to get his first glimpse of Mane with Bayern not due to face Cologne until the new year with a home game at the Allianz Arena. The two sides will also meet at the RheinEnergieSTADION on the final day of the Bundesliga season.
The Senegalese had a successful six year spell on Merseyside, winning everything he possibly could. He scored 120 goals and registered 48 assists in over 260 appearances for the Reds and he'll hope to replicate those numbers in Germany.
"I was really, really clear in my mind," Mane told Sky Sports after completing the move. "When I was told about the interest from Bayern we discussed it. I think it wasn't even days, just seconds and I made my decision."
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