Lorius Karius believes Sadio Mane’s impending transfer to Bayern Munich is ‘crazy’ and a huge boost for the Bundesliga.
The Senegalese forward is set to join Bayern after Julian Nagelsmann's side agreed a €41million (£35.2million) deal to sign the star last week after he had just one year remaining on his contract. Mane joined Liverpool from Southampton for £34m in 2016 and scored 120 goals in 269 games.
He was the first major transformative signing under Jurgen Klopp and provided the foundation for today’s success as his early performances helped to secure Champions League qualification. Not only has he been part of Liverpool’s most iconic team of the modern era, but he has won every trophy possible while at the club - the Champions League, Premier League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup and EFL Cup.
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And Karius, who arrived at Liverpool in the same 2016 summer transfer window as Mane, believes such a superstar signing is great for German football.
"It would be a crazy transfer for Bayern, because he's one of the top players at Liverpool," the goalkeeper told beIN SPORTS.
"If Bayern Munich manages to sign someone like him, then you can only congratulate them and the Bundesliga too. It would be another star in the league, so I would be very happy for the Bundesliga. Sadio Mane is very reserved, very down to earth.
"He also speaks a bit of German from his time in [RB] Salzburg. I've always got along very well with him, actually everyone. Should he come to Germany, he won't have any problems adapting."
Karius’s own departure from Liverpool was only announced earlier this month, with the German having not featured since the infamous Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in 2018. The keeper played 49 times for the club after arriving at Anfield from Mainz for £4.75m.
Now 28 and having not played at all since an unsuccessful loan spell at Union Berlin in the 2020/21 campaign, Karius is philosophical when reflecting upon his time at the Reds. He said: “There were ups and downs. It's part of the game, that's football, but I've developed as a person.
“I'll take my determination with me to my next job. It's about having a good feeling. The club can be in Germany, but also abroad. I just have to feel that the chemistry with those responsible is right, that they have a good feeling about me, and I have a good feeling with them."
