After losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid, Liverpool striker Sadio Mane announced he will be leaving Anfield this summer in search of a fresh start elsewhere. His representatives have already met with Bayern Munich, who are very interested in the Senegalese international as an immediate replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who is set on departing the Bundesliga giants for Barcelona in the coming weeks.
It's obviously difficult to find a player who can bag 48 goals in a single campaign like Lewandowski. That being said, Sadio Mane could potentially be the perfect signing for Bayern to give them another clinical striker for the 2022-23 season because of his skillset and experience.
2 reasons Sadio Mane is the perfect replacement for Robert Lewandowski
Lighting up the best league in the world
Mane made the switch from Red Bull Salzburg to Southampton in 2014 and scored 21 times in 67 appearances. Certainly impressive, but once he arrived at Liverpool, Mane began to really thrive under Jurgen Klopp. Since 2016, the forward has scored 90 Premier League goals in 196 appearances for the Reds.
He's consistently produced in England, which is widely regarded as the best league in the world. The 30-year-old would do the same and more at Bayern, especially if they build their system around him just like with Lewandowski. He can truly be the perfect fit because of his experience and ability to create havoc amongst the best backlines around.
Versatile skillset
Mane might not be as clinical as Lewa. However, he's also never played in the Bundesliga, which is certainly a step down from the Premier League. Mane could step in and be an instant hit at Bayern and to be honest, he does possess more skills in certain areas than the Pole. The Senegal international is extremely pacey and can beat most defenders with his speed. Lewandowski is more of a striker who scores most of his goals in the box. Mane is the type of player that likes to run into space onto through balls. Also, he's extremely technical and has scored some very crafty goals over the years.
A lot of time with fast forwards, they don't have a lot of presence on the ball. Although Mane does try to buy fouls at times, he is well-grounded and very capable of holding his own in physical duels thanks to his strong stature.
Mane fired home 23 goals this term. That's obviously a far cry from Lewandowski's tremendous season at Bayern. But you also have to remember Mane is sharing the attacking duties with the likes of Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota, and Luis Diaz. That's an absolutely stacked frontline and he doesn't always get all the opportunities.
At Bayern, he would likely be the main man up top just like Lewandowski has been for eight years. He's already conquered Austria, France, and England. Germany could very well be his next challenge. Sadio Mane possesses every skillset Bayern would want and he'd be playing under another very good manager in Julian Nagelsmann.
It's a shame Robert Lewandowski wants to leave the club, but bringing in a player like Sadio Mane would certainly erase the pain.
Follow Us
Subscribe