The final year of a player’s contract is often a hugely uncertain period for both himself and the club. Moves will usually be made to try and negotiate extensions, providing the club want to maintain the player’s services.
However if one can't be reached, then pushing through a sale becomes a priority in order to avoid losing that asset for nothing 12 months later. And it’s at this moment when rivals can often profit and potentially land targets for a reduced fee.
Sadio Mane’s recent move to Bayern Munich is a prime example of this situation. The Senegal star scored 23 goals for Liverpool last season and is widely regarded as one of the best forward players in Europe. However, the German champions landed him for a fee of just £35million, way below his market value.
