Sadio Mane's agent Bacary Cisse has broken the silence over the future of the Bayern Munich forward amid links with a move to Chelsea and the Saudi Pro League. It comes as the Blues look to bolster the squad ahead of the new season, with the need to improve in the forward ranks.
The west London outfit scored just 38 goals in 38 Premier League games last season, ending the campaign with a goal different of minus nine and in 12th-place. The arrival of Mauricio Pochettino may help kick the team into gear in the coming season, but there's work to be done.
Exits are the top priority, with a number already completed and many more to come, however the forward line has a huge overhaul coming. Hakim Ziyech looks set to make the move to Saudi Arabia in the coming days, while the futures of Christian Pulisic, Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are uncertain.
That leaves Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Mykhailo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling and Armando Broja as the only remaining options to fill three positions. Nicolas Jackson could soon be added to that list after his completed his medical that will see the promising young striker join from Villarreal.
However, there may still be the need for a quality option that can play out wide and at centre-forward for the coming campaign. One of those that's been touted with a switch is Mane following a difficult debut campaign for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, despite winning the league title.
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A falling out within the squad had suggested that a move may be possible, including links with Chelsea and clubs in the Saudi Pro League. However, his agent Cisse appears to have shut down any links with an exit and purely focused on a stay in Bavaria for the forward.
He told Senegalese television station 2stv: "I haven't heard about approaches from Saudi - what's certain is that he stays at Bayern. He signed for three years. He spent one year and still has two. So yes, for now he stays at Bayern."
It likely means the Blues will have to switch their focus elsewhere if they are looking to add experience to their attacking lineup going into next season.
