Sadio Mane has reflected on his displeasure after leaving Bayern Munich for Saudi Arabia Pro League side Al Nassr.
On Tuesday, 1st of August, 2023, the Saudi Arabia outfit, Al Nassr completed the acquisition of the Senegal International winger after he successfully underwent a medical in Dubai.
The former Liverpool forward will link up with Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the Al Nassr 2023/2024 season opener on the 14th of August.
Al Nassr seals the acquisition of Sadio Mane in a deal reportedly worth 24 million pounds, less than what the Germain powerhouse paid for his services in the summer of 2022.
The 31-year-old winger has put pen to paper on a four-year contract that will run through the summer of 2027 with the Saudi Arabia club.
Speaking about his transfer, the former Southampton player said; “Leaving FC Bayern hurts me. I would have wished for a different ending. I know that I could have helped the team this season. I wanted to prove it to everyone this season. Nevertheless, I only wish the club and the fans the best for the future”.
What happened to Sadio Mane?
The one-time African Cup of Nations winner joined the Germain powerhouse in the summer of 2022 in a deal reportedly worth 35 million pounds.
After Robert Lewandowski transferred to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2022, Bayern Munich made Mane their priority in the summer transfer market and signed him away from Liverpool as a potential replacement for the Polish forward.
Even after spending £35 million to leave Anfield, Mane only scored seven goals in the Bundesliga, helping Bayern to a championship defense on the final day.
Although Mane’s season as a whole was a mixed bag, the Senegalese forward seemed to swiftly feel at home in Munich, scoring 11 goals across all competitions by November.
However, a critical injury before the break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup saw him ruled out for three months, and denied him the opportunity to play for Senegal in Qatar.
Upon his comeback, he only added one goal to his total for the campaign as he struggled to work his way back into the starting line-up following the managerial instability that saw Julian Nagelsmann replaced by Thomas Tuchel.
Bayern dropped him and punished him after he allegedly punched teammate Leroy Sane in the face after their 3-0 Champions League loss to Manchester City in April, casting serious doubt on his future with the club.
During Sadio Mane’s spell at Liverpool, he won six major trophies at Anfield which include the UEFA Champions League in 2019, Premier League in 2020, FIFA Club World Cup, and FA Cup.
Mane is just the latest star player to leave a European club for a lucrative contract in Saudi Arabia.
During the ongoing summer transfer window, Al Nassr have signed Marcelo Brozovic from Inter and Alex Telles from Manchester United, and now they’ve added another big name, Mane.
They’ll also link up with Ronaldo who joined the club in January after his contract with Manchester United was terminated by mutual consent.
What’s next for Sadio Mane?
The 31-year-old will join his new teammates at Al Nassr in preparation for the 2023/2024 Saudi Pro League season.
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