LIVERPOOL ARE ADAMANT Sadio Mane will only be allowed to leave for a fee in excess of £25million providing they have a suitable replacement lined up after the forward was heavily linked with Bayern Munich.
The Bundesliga champions, who themselves look likely to lose striker Robert Lewandowski this summer, have yet to even make contact with the Reds about any potential deal.
But the day after their Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, reports have suggested the Senegal international wants to move to Germany before the end of his current contract, which has 12 months remaining.
The PA news agency understands the 30-year-old has also not yet made his intentions clear to the club he joined from Southampton for £30m six years ago.
But having allowed his contract to tick down to the final 12 months, the likelihood of signing a new one looks less likely, despite him scoring 23 goals this season.
Mane had hinted on Wednesday he would announce a “special” decision on his long-term plans after the Champions League final with Real Madrid but after the 1-0 defeat at the Stade de France, the forward did not make an appearance in front of the media.
Manager Jurgen Klopp was asked about the Bayern rumours at his pre-match press conference in Paris and his answer was rather non-committal.
“Wherever Sadio will play next year, he will be a big player,” said the Reds boss.
Mane is not the only contract issues Liverpool have to resolve this summer as fellow forwards Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino – who make up the rest of his famed front three – are also entering their final 12 months.
Elsewhere, captain Jordan Henderson admits another Champions League defeat to Real Madrid is difficult to process but believes recent history repeating itself may not be such a bad thing.
In 2018 in Kyiv, Klopp’s side were beaten 3-1 after two freakish goals from Gareth Bale but went on to win a sixth European Cup 12 months later with victory over Tottenham and followed that up the next year with a first league title in 30 years.
So Henderson hopes the 1-0 defeat at the Stade de France to a LaLiga side winning the competition for a 14th time can be a catalyst for something better next year.
“It’s still difficult now to process everything with how the game went in the end. It’s hard to speak about it,” said the 31-year-old, who has still led the team to a Carabao-FA Cup double.
“I felt as though we had three or four good chances and the keeper (Thibaut Courtois) made world-class saves.
“Hopefully we can have a good break now and then use that to process this season and everything that’s happened and use it to go again next season when we come back.
“We’ve had this feeling before and reacted in the right way. Hopefully we can do the same again, I’m sure we will.
“The mentality and character within the dressing room is outstanding and yes, we will be disappointed, and it’s hard because we have such a long time to think about it now.
“But I can say we’ve given absolutely everything all season and sometimes you can’t do more than that.
“Football’s fine margins, that’s the way it is. We’ve had a little bit of luck in domestic cups on penalties when we won them. Against Real and in the league we didn’t.
“We have to deal with that and use it in the right way and use it to go forward and be stronger and better next season.”
