Bayern Munich players ‘distance’ Sadio Mane as ‘transfer’ looms for former Liverpool star

Bayern Munich players ‘distance’ Sadio Mane as ‘transfer’ looms for former Liverpool star

Sadio Mane left Liverpool this summer after six years at Anfield
A number of Bayern Munich players have reportedly distanced themselves from Sadio Mane following his recent falling out with teammate Leroy Sane.

Shortly after Bayern’s defeat in the Champions League quarter-final first leg to Manchester City, reports emerged that the former Liverpool star had punched Sane in the dressing room after the final whistle at the Etihad Stadium.

Mane was subsequently fined by his current employers and left out of the squad for the 1-1 home draw against Hoffenheim on Saturday afternoon.

Having scored six goals in his first 14 Bundesliga appearances, it seemed inevitable that the 31-year-old would prove to be one of Bayern’s key players. An injury sustained in early November hampered the Senegalese striker’s pace, ruling him out of the World Cup before returning at the end of February. Criticized for his performance upon his return to the first team, his high-profile crash has done little to ease the pressure on his shoulders and could now lead to his departure from the German giants after just one season at the club.

Criticized for his performance upon his return to the first team, his high-profile crash has done little to ease the pressure on his shoulders and could now lead to his departure from the German giants after just one season at the club.

Sky Germany’s latest update on Mane’s situation clarified that the 2019 Champions League winner is now viewed “critically” by his team-mates following his falling out with Sane and that he has “distanced” from the heel striker high.

It adds that Mane is now a “candidate” to be sold in the next transfer window after Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel has decided he “has no intention” of continuing to work with his squad’s summer recruit:

Had Leeds United returned in September, the sight of Cody Gakpo putting into the open net at Elland Road on Monday night would have elicited a very different reaction from the traveling Kop.

Leeds were one of several clubs pursuing the striker, their interest going so far that director of football Victor Orta flew to Eindhoven to try and negotiate a deal with PSV on a deadline. But with the Dutch side playing tough, the transfer was cut short just as Leeds prepared to fly Gakpo and his entourage to England.

A few months later, the landscape had changed, Leeds bowing out when Manchester United, another longtime Gakpo suitor, considered accepting a transfer for a player who had shone for the Netherlands at the World Cup.

It was then that Liverpool struck and eventually agreed a £44million deal for Gakpo over Christmas, which was confirmed on Boxing Day.

Admittedly, there was some surprise that no midfielders were recruited in January – and we all know how the chase goes – but in terms of future-proofing Liverpool’s attack it looked like a wise move, especially with Roberto Firmino nearing the end of his spell at Anfield.

Unfortunately for Gakpo, he was bowled against a Liverpool side and suffered an alarming drop in form after the World Cup, having to wait until his seventh cap to crack his goal duck in February’s 2-0 home derby win against Everton. too different from his touch on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross from the right on Monday. Gakpo’s presence to put the finishing touches highlights the biggest change his game has undergone since arriving at Anfield. Having forged his reputation on the left wing at PSV, the 23-year-old has been deployed at the heart of the Reds’ attack,

apart from two games against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
With Firmino confirming his departure this summer, Jurgen Klopp has decided to prefer Gakpo in center and Darwin Nunez on left rather than the other way around. Certainly, the Dutchman is much closer to Firmino in his ability to sink deep and assist midfield from that position, coupled with his defensive attributes.

For these reasons, it has long been proven that the Brazilian is nearly impossible to replace, whether within the squad or with a new signing. However, Gakpo sends the right signals.
“The top three players played because of the way they defended,” Klopp said as he explained his decision to put Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah at the top of Elland Road. “They (all Liverpool forwards) can play football, but we have to understand that’s where defense starts.”

Indeed, Gakpo underlined the quality of him again when he ran from depth to defence, one of those volleys from a free-kick, the routine which saw Salah’s shot disallowed for marginal offside.
Firmino hasn’t completely disappeared, of course, as evidenced by his breakthrough cameo off the bench against Arsenal last weekend. Klopp could easily have chosen to recall the Brazilian based on that performance, but instead he stayed with Gakpo and the same starting lineup.

The Dutchman rewarded the Reds boss not only with his goal but also with an encouraging all-round performance. Firmino is probably the only other Liverpool striker who would have had the technique and vision to find Salah so quickly that he scored the fourth goal, Gakpo’s first direct assist as a Reds player.