Sadio Mane's potential move to Bayern Munich could be dead as the Bundesliga club considers alternatives after having several bids for the forward rejected.
The Senegal forward has been heavily linked with an Anfield exit as his contract enters its final 12 months. Mane himself has hinted that his time at Liverpool might be over after six seasons with Liverpool and Bayern are the first to back up their interest.
Their latest offer was a £30m package - £23.5m of which was upfront - but Liverpool swiftly rejected the bid and told the Germans to get closer to their £40m plus valuation. That said, the Reds are seemingly preparing for the exit of the 30-year-old as they edge closer to a move for Darwin Nunez.
The Benfica forward is set to cost the Reds £80m after enjoying a breakthrough campaign in Portugal and his arrival would free up Mane to quit the Premier League side. Bayern chief Hasan Salihamidžić has hinted though that the Bavarians may consider other options.
He said: "Generally speaking, we're trying to strengthen our team. We're working on several options in attack. The transfer market is not easy, it always depends on the financial possibilities of the club. I don't want to talk about players of other clubs." He also added: "Of course, we can't rely on one option to strengthen our attack. We must have several options."
Bayern face the threat of Robert Lewandowski leaving the Allianz Arena after the Pole expressed a desire to quit the club. He remains one of the premier marksmen in Europe but confessed he sees no way back for him in Munich, which could force the Bundesliga champions into the market.
Will Sadio Mane remain at Liverpool? Have your say in the comments!
Mane would be an ideal replacement, especially with Liverpool's attack looking increasingly crowded. Currently, Jurgen Klopp can pick from Mo Salah, Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino, Luis Diaz and Mane - with Nunez set to be added to the mix.
Keeping all of them happy will be a tough task and Nunez's imminent arrival is thought to be a protective measure against Mane's exit, but a change of heart from Bayern could change the landscape. The Senegalese star did cast doubt over his own Liverpool future, insisting he would leave the club if those in his homeland wanted to.
He later clarified his comments, saying: “I spoke yesterday while joking with a bit of humour and it was everywhere. I think we’ll stop there. Liverpool is a club I respect a lot. The fans adopted me since day one. Regarding the future, we’ll see.”
