Apparently, FC Bayern is in pole position when it comes to signing Sadio Mané. According to media reports, the people of Munich are said to have already intensified their efforts to attract the Senegalese – and have made an improved offer to Liverpool FC.
A world-class kicker on the Isar – the anticipation of Bayern fans for the Liverpool player probably knows no bounds, but does the Mané transfer make any sense at all? The 30-year-old would enrich Nagelsmann’s team in some aspects, but the other side of the coin should make you ponder. An overview.
Mané scores, Mané dribbles, Mané prepares hits, Mané is combative. There is no doubt that the “world-class kicker”, as Jürgen Klopp calls him, is versatile and therefore difficult to grasp on the pitch for the opposing defensive.
Whether Nagelsmann now specifies a 4-2-3-1, a 4-3-3 or a 3-5-2 system, the Bayern team would certainly be more inscrutable with Mané, because the offensive all-rounder can do one in the course of one play several roles at once.
The title “world class” is not simply awarded to a footballer, you have to work hard for it – and Mané undoubtedly has that. The Senegalese has hardly ever been injured, has played without major fluctuations in performance throughout the season and has been convincing with at least 25 goals a year for some time.
Fluctuations in performance as with Gnabry and Sané or susceptibility to injury as with Coman are two terms that practically do not exist in the vocabulary of the Liverpool player.
Africa’s Footballer of the Year 2019 is a dangerous goal keeper and keeps making crucial appearances in the penalty area. Nevertheless, he is not a classic nine and penalty area striker like Robert Lewandowski. The Pole scored seven more goals in the past Bundesliga season than Mané in his last two Premier League seasons combined.
Should Lewandowski pack his bags and actually leave Munich, there will be a goal and penalty area vacuum at Bayern that Mané cannot fill either.
The Senegalese’s strengths come into their own on the wing, when he uses his speed and physique to regularly mess up the opponent’s defence, producing many dangerous shots in the process.
In this position, however, the Munich team is already well occupied with Gnabry, Sané and Coman. Mané would definitely raise the quality of the squad – but several stars would find themselves on the bench more often.
Should Nagelsmann use Mané as a hanging striker or attacking midfielder, Thomas Müller and Jamal Musiala would suffer. If you assume four offensives in the Bayern line-up, in which Lewandowski is set if he stays, three players from the sextet Gnabry, Coman, Sané, Müller, Musiala and Mané would have to watch.
Bavaria’s object of desire has already turned thirtieth – and even Mané can’t stop time. Offensive players thrive on their dynamism, their explosiveness and their assertiveness. Characteristics that decrease with age.
How long Mané can continue at his current level is uncertain. And would he still be the big reinforcement that Munich is obviously looking for so urgently?
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