Sadio Mane joins Ronaldo at Al-Nassr

Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has bid farewell to Bayern Munich and made a high-profile transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, where he will team up with the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo.

Mane, 31, had a mixed season at Bayern, scoring 12 goals in 38 games, which fell short of the high expectations set after his initial impressive performances. The Senegalese player’s journey with Bayern was not without its challenges, including a reported physical altercation with Leroy Sane in the Manchester City dressing room following a Champions League defeat.

It is believed that the German champions have recouped a significant portion of the £35 million they paid Liverpool for Mane just a year ago.

Jan-Christian Dreesen, Bayern’s CEO, acknowledged that Mane had faced difficulties since his move from Anfield, stating, “He was not able to contribute as much as we all and he himself had hoped.”

Earlier, Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel expressed that both he and Mane agreed that parting ways was the best solution.

“We had a long, big hug, and we both agreed we don’t like what’s happening now, but we think it’s for the best in this situation,” said Tuchel. “Sometimes things don’t work out as everybody wants. I have always had a very good relationship with him, and this will stay. I can totally understand he feels hurt, and I also wouldn’t feel happy if things like this happened. Obviously, it’s something that we didn’t bring into the full potential, which is my responsibility, but in this particular situation, it was the best solution to untie the knot.”

With Mane’s departure, Al-Nassr has further solidified their star-studded lineup. The addition of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in December was a massive coup for the club. Now, they have continued their summer signings by securing Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, Brazil full-back Alex Telles, and Ivory Coast midfielder Seko Fofana, making their squad even more formidable.