The Inside Story: How Sadio Mane’s Salary Led to His Departure from Bayern Munich

The Inside Story: How Sadio Mane’s Salary Led to His Departure from Bayern Munich

Sadio Mane’s departure from Bayern Munich to Saudi club Al-Nassr has been the subject of surprising claims by his PR manager, Bacary Cisse. According to Cisse, the real reason behind the striker’s exit from Bayern was the club’s inability to grasp how an African player could become their highest-paid player. The 31-year-old has now joined Cristiano Ronaldo’s team in the Saudi Pro League, earning an astounding £34 million annually (£650,000 weekly).

Mane’s stint at Bayern Munich, which began just last year with a £35 million transfer, proved to be a challenging period for the player. He struggled to adapt to life in Germany, managing only 12 goals for the squad and experiencing a public falling-out with teammate Leroy Sane. Additionally, he faced harsh criticism for his exorbitant salary and underwhelming performance during his time at the club.

Cisse defended Mane, stating that Bayern’s handling of the situation wasn’t solely based on footballing decisions. He revealed that the Germans were unsettled by the idea of an African player becoming their top earner ahead of everyone else, leading to their desire to offload him.

The PR manager criticized Bayern for their lack of communication with Mane’s representatives and claimed they did not inform him face-to-face about their intentions to sell him. Instead, they allegedly sent Thomas Tuchel to deliver the message that he would be a third-choice left-winger.

Mane’s departure was further complicated by fluctuating transfer fees, with Bayern initially leaking to the media that they were willing to sell him for €20 million (£17.3 million). However, after seeing his performance during training, they raised the price to €30 million (£25.9 million).

Cisse emphasized that Mane had nothing to prove to Bayern and highlighted that his success was primarily due to his time at Liverpool, not Bayern. He expressed disappointment in the club’s treatment of the player, considering the significant financial investment they had made in him.

Despite a promising start with five goals by the end of August and an additional six before the Bundesliga suspension for the World Cup in Qatar, Mane’s form declined after an injury. He subsequently fell down the pecking order at Bayern, leading to the decision to seek a transfer.

With his move to Al-Nassr, Mane now embarks on a new chapter in his career, where he aims to continue showcasing his footballing prowess and prove his worth on the Saudi Arabian stage.