Bayern Munich want Chelsea to make an offer for Sadio Mane this summer, according to an update from reliable journalist Christian Falk.
Could Mane leave Bayern this summer?
The Senegalese opted to leave Liverpool at the end of last season, enjoying a fresh challenge at Bayern while he was still in the peak years of his career. His time in Germany has not gone to play so far, however, with a combination of injuries, patchy form and disciplinary matters holding him back.
Mane had been limited to 17 starts in the Bundesliga (before their match against Werder Bremen yesterday) and his tally of over 12 goals in over 30 appearances, in all competitions, is a solid but unspectacular return. The 31-year-old was also suspended and fined recently after a clash with teammate Leroy Sane, and manager Thomas Tuchel could potentially be happy to offload him at the end of the season.
That's certainly looking increasingly likely at the moment and Chelsea are one of the clubs who have been linked with snapping him up this summer, as the Blues look for attacking reinforcements.
Are Chelsea going to bid for Mane?
Speaking to Caught Offside, Falk claimed that while there is no strong interest in Mane yet, Bayern are eyeing an offer from Chelsea for his services:
"After his issue with Leroy Sané, Mané now has problems with his team-mates, and furthermore, his level of performance has disappointed Thomas Tuchel.
"Bayern are hoping for an offer from Chelsea – offers from Premier League clubs are welcome in Munich – but there are no seriously interested parties at this stage. Any potential interest from Newcastle doesn’t appeal to Mane either."
There is no doubting Mane's pedigree as a footballer, considering he won the Champions League and Premier League at Liverpool, among numerous other trophies, and has been hailed as "world-class" by Jurgen Klopp in the past. That being said, he doesn't quite look like the force he once was, which is only natural at 31, so Chelsea would be wise to look at bringing in a younger alternative instead, such as Victor Osimhen or Lautaro Martinez.
If the Blues did snap up the £306,000-a-week Senegal legend, he could still have a big impact, having scored 111 goals and registered 47 assists in the Premier League, but there is the threat that they spend big on a player who isn't the absolutely elite footballer he used to be during his Liverpool days, when he was so devastating alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
