Liverpool are in no hurry to sell Sadio Mane despite reported interest from Bayern Munich, with the Reds unprepared to let the Senegal star move on the cheap.
The Africa Cup of Nations winner has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, who themselves could be set to lose Robert Lewandowski this summer. However, despite suggestions Mane has told teammates he plans to move on, the club do not appear ready to be held to ransom.
Liverpool may prefer to lose Mane for nothing in a year rather than sanction a cut-price deal this summer. While the arrival of 19-year-old Fabio Carvalho from Fulham has helped bolster their options in attack, there may be internal pressure to have a senior replacement lined up rather than place too much pressure on youth.
According to The Athletic, Bayern's £25.5million valuation of Mane falls below Liverpool's asking price, even for a player with just one year left on his current contract. The Reds are said to value the former Southampton ace at closer to £42.5million, and the same source suggests they will need a new forward lined up before sanctioning a deal.
With Divock Origi leaving and Takumi Minamino potentially being allowed to move on if Liverpool receive a suitable offer, space will be opening up in attack. Luis Diaz joined in January, with Carvalho following at the end of the season, but it appears Mane will not leave without another new face arriving.
The Athletic suggests Liverpool would far prefer to get another year out of the Senegal star, even if that means missing out on a potential transfer fee. Mane cost £30million from Southampton back in 2016 and was the first big-money signing to move to Anfield during Jurgen Klopp's tenure.
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Before the Champions League final, Liverpool manager Klopp acknowledged it was not the first time his preparations for the European showpiece had been disrupted with one of his players being linked with Bayern Munich. Indeed, before Klopp's Borussia Dortmund faced Bayern in the 2013 final, Mario Gotze - who missed the game through injury - agreed terms with Bayern over a summer move from the Westfalenstadion.
"Sadio is in the shape of his life - he's in brilliant shape, a joy to watch him in training and in the game," Klopp said. "Football has asked him a lot this year, a long season with a lot of games but one of the most successful for him and for us.
"The Bayern rumours I couldn't care less at the moment - we are completely focussed on this game he knows how important it is to him and to us. It's not the first time in my career that Bayern rumours are coming up before big games. No problems at all, though."
