Sadio Mane has completed his move from Liverpool to German champions Bayern Munich in a deal worth around €40 million ($42m) including add-ons. The 30-year-old Senegal striker has agreed a three-year contract with Bayern, who won a <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/04/23/bayern-munich-clinch-record-10th-consecutive-bundesliga-title/" target="_blank">record-extending 10th straight league title</a> last season. Mane leaves Anfield after 269 appearances, having scored 120 goals in all competitions, helping the club win the Champions League in 2018-19 and the Premier League a season later. He joined Liverpool from Southampton for £34m in 2016 and only had one year left on his contract at Anfield. “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 and better.” Speculation began to increase about the Senegal international’s future in the past few months of the season. However, with Liverpool in a thrilling title battle and with 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. He scored 23 times in all competitions as Jurgen Klopp's side secured the domestic cup double and narrowly missed out on the league title to Manchester City. “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.” The forward became Bayern's third signing of the close season, following the arrivals of Ajax duo Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazrouai. But prolific striker <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/05/14/bayern-munich-reveal-robert-lewandowski-wants-to-quit-bundesliga-champions/" target="_blank">Robert Lewandowski looks set to leave the club</a>, with the Pole saying his Munich "story has come to an end" as he eyes a move to Barcelona. Bayern are hoping Mane brings some extra attacking spark, with wingers Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane having lacked consistency in the past season. "Sadio Mane is a world star who underscores the appeal of FC Bayern and increases the attractiveness of the entire Bundesliga," said Bayern president Herbert Hainer. "It is for such unique footballers that the fans come to the stadiums." Klopp last month hailed Mane, his first major singing after taking over as manager, as "world-class" and likened him to a "machine" but the player declined a new contract. "I'm really happy to finally be at FC Bayern in Munich. We spoke a lot and I felt big interest from this great club right from the beginning, so for me there were no doubts," Mane told the club's website. "It's the right time for this challenge. I want to achieve a lot with this club, in Europe too. During my time in Salzburg I watched a lot of Bayern games – I really like this club!" Last season, Mane also helped <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/02/06/sadio-mane-spot-on-as-senegal-win-afcon-title-after-epic-final-against-egypt/" target="_blank">Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations</a> for the first time – after beating Egypt and Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah in the final – before <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2022/03/29/mohamed-salahs-egypt-out-of-world-cup-after-penalty-shoot-out-defeat-to-senegal/" target="_blank">beating the same country in the World Cup play-off</a> to secure their spot in the Qatar finals. "We are delighted that we've been able to recruit," said Bayern chief executive Oliver Khan. "With his outstanding performances and his great successes at the highest international level over many years, there are very few players like him in the world. "We're sure that Sadio Mane will delight our fans in the coming years with his spectacular style of play. He's ambitious and eager to win more titles. This package is very strong. With players like him at FC Bayern, all the biggest goals are possible."
