Mane completes Bayern move ahead of ‘new test’
Sadio Mane insists he has moved to Bayern Munich for a new challenge having won everything with Liverpool.
The 30-year-old, who had just 12 months left on his contract at Anfield, has signed a three-year deal with the Bundesliga champions.
He departs after six years in which he helped the club win the Premier League, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
“Obviously it is strange – really, really strange – to no longer be a Liverpool player,” he told liverpoolfc.com
“But of course I had a great time, an unbelievable time. We won a lot.
“My life is always (about a) challenge and when it came I said to the club that I want to leave, I want to go somewhere else to see a new challenge. It is not anything else, it is just a challenge because for me I want to always be challenging myself to get better.”
Speculation began to increase about the Senegal international’s future in the last few months of the season.
However, with Liverpool in a tight title battle and a Champions League final to play in Mane produced some of his best form of the campaign, scoring nine goals in his final 14 appearances.
“There was a lot, a lot, of speculation but I’m not a confused boy in my head,” he added. “Obviously, I know what I want and I know what is professional so for me, I was not even thinking about it because I was still a Liverpool player and we had really important games.”
On his move to the Bun d es li ga, Manes aid :“I’ m very happyto finally be with F CB aye rn in Munich.
“We had a lot of talks and I felt the great interest of this big club from the start so there was no doubt in my mind right from the start. This is the right time for this challenge. I want to achieve a lot with this club, also internationally.”
Meanwhile, Rome lu Lukakuw ill return to Inter Milan on a one-year loan deal.
Inter chiefs are thought to have struck an 8million euro loan fee with the Blues, with Lukaku understood to have taken a pay cut to leave Stamford Bridge. The Belgium striker only joined Chelsea in a club-record £98million deal last summer, but a number of controversies strained relations with the Blues.
Chelsea’s new co-owner Todd Boehly has put an immediate stamp on his tenure by giving the green light for Lukaku’ s return to Inter.
US magnate Boehly has backed manager Thomas Tuchel over the decision to let Lukaku return to Italy. And once the 29-year-old’s Inter return is officially complete, the Blues will be able to turn attentions to wider transfer business.
Chelsea will set about seeking a replacement, with the club understood to remain keen on Robert Le wan dow ski despite the Poland hit man’ s desire to swap B aye rn Munich for Barcelona.
Catalan giants Barcelona’s continued financial issues could yet open the door for Chelsea to pounce on Lewandowski’s unsettled situation.
Lukaku’s impending departure could yet point manager Tuchel towards a more fluid approach without a clear focal-point striker. Chelsea hold strong interest in Man City’s Raheem Sterling, with the forward open to leaving the Etihad Stadium with just one year left on his contract.