Bayern Munich sports director Hasan Salihamidzic has confirmed that the club are looking at alternatives to signing Liverpool forward Sadio Mane this summer.
Mane told his Liverpool teammates of his decision to leave the club in the aftermath of their Champions League final defeat against Real Madrid last month. Bayern are leading the race to strike a deal for the Senegalese forward in the current window but have had multiple bids rejected.
The German champions have so far lodged two offers with the Reds - both of which were knocked back. The Reds are refusing to allow the German giants to get Mane on the cheap after rejecting an improved second offer of £30million, which included add-ons. It was reported that the first bid was around £21million up front with another £4million in bonuses to make a £25million total package.
It is claimed that, despite the initial rejection, both parties expect an agreement to be reached with Sport BILD and Sky Sports Germany believing that a deal will be concluded soon. However, Bayern transfer negotiator Salihamidzic has claimed that there are other options on the table for the Bundesliga club.
Salihamidzic told BILD: "The transfer market is not easy and it always depends on the club's financial capabilities. Basically, we are trying to strengthen our team - we are also working on some options on the attack. Of course, you can't reduce yourself to one option, you have to have several options."
Earlier this month, Mane suggested he will follow the wishes of his nation's fans by leaving the Reds. This would end a sparkling six-year stint on Merseyside during which he scored 120 goals in 269 matches. However, he later insisted he was "joking" with those comments and maintains full respect for Liverpool.
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Mane has taken the definitive decision to leave the club, as the reports state, following on from a season in which he added the FA Cup and EFL Cup trophies to his silverware won at Anfield. The former Southampton forward won the Champions League title with Jurgen Klopp’s side in 2019 and then the Premier League crown the following year.
The forward began his professional career at French club Metz before starring for two seasons at Red Bull Salzburg and then joined Southampton in the summer of 2014. Two productive campaigns on the English South Coast preceded his switch to Liverpool in the first summer transfer window under Klopp.
Mane became part of a fearsome three-pronged attack alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, but the additions of Diogo Jot and Luis Diaz in recent times has ensured great rotation along with the impending arrival of Darwin Nunez from Benfica.
