Chelsea eye shock move for ex Liverpool star & Champions League winner

As Chelsea continues to revamp their squad, Sadio Mane is the latest name to make the headlines as a potential signing for the club

German journalist Christian Falk via CaughtOffside has revealed that Bundesliga side Bayern Munich wants to offload Sadio Mane and his salary this summer. As of now, they are still searching for a potential partner in a transfer but Chelsea is reportedly interested.

Sadio Mane joined Bayern Munich last summer from Liverpool in a deal worth £35M. The signing was seen as a bit of a win-win for both sides. Mane’s contract was running down at Liverpool and there was some belief that the forward wanted to start a new journey. For Bayern, signing an experienced and talented player at such a modest price seemed like good business.

While Sadio Mane’s time at Bayern has not been down-right awful, it definitely has not been great. The raw goal contribution stats are adequate but at times this season, Sadio Mane has failed to convert on some big chances. According to FotMob, he is third in the Bundesliga for big chances missed, and given he has only started roughly 60% of games, it is not a very promising stat, to say the least.

A very topical incident occurred recently that has likely increased Mane’s chances of leaving. The first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich and Manchester City finished 3-0 in favor of the English side. After the match, it was revealed that Sadio Mane had punched teammate Leroy Sane in the lip. On the live broadcast, Mane and Sane could be seen arguing on the pitch. Mane was fined over £250,000 for the incident.

• Versatile Liverpool midfielder is attracting Premier League interest

With Bayern now looking to sell Mane, Chelsea swooping in creates an interesting storyline. Sadio Mane in a lot of eyes is a Liverpool legend, given his contributions to the club during his time at Anfield. The Senegalese international won a total of 6 trophies at Liverpool, including a Premier League and Champions League title. Mane has also been a four-time member of the Professional Football Association’s Team of the Year.

While Liverpool and Chelsea fans will both say they have bigger rivals than each other, there is a history between the two clubs. As such, Sadio Mane joining Chelsea would certainly raise a lot of eyebrows.