Bayern Munich‘s president confirmed on Wednesday that the club is aware of “initial talks” around a reported move for forward Sadio Mané to join Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, where he could team up with Cristiano Ronaldo.
“FC Bayern is informed about this,” club president Herbert Hainer said in Japan during a preseason tour. “But these are initial talks; you have to wait and see.”
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
His comments followed a report in German tabloid newspaper Bild that an adviser to Mané would meet representatives of Al Nassr to discuss a possible deal. A Premier League and Champions League winner with Liverpool, Mané would be the latest in a series of big-name players in Saudi clubs’ signing spree.
Mané has two years left on his contract with Bayern after a disappointing and injury-hit first season since joining from Liverpool last year.
The Senegal forward scored 12 times in 38 games for Bayern, but only one of those goals came after a leg injury in November that ruled him out of the World Cup. Mané was also suspended for one game by Bayern for “misconduct” in April after he reportedly struck teammate Leroy Sané in the locker room after a Champions League loss to Manchester City.
On Tuesday, Hainer described Mané’s first season at Bayern as “certainly not satisfactory, neither for him nor for us.”
Mané came off the bench in Bayern’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City in a friendly in Japan on Wednesday, replacing Kingsley Coman as Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel changed the entire starting XI at the break.