Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich: How they will line up
Karan Tejwani
- 22 Jun 2022 13:52 BST
- 3 min read
Bayern Munich have officially announced the signing of Sadio Mane from Liverpool.
He arrived in Munich for his medical on Tuesday and was presented as a Bayern player on Wednesday.
Bayern have paid a fee that will reach €41 million for the Senegal star.
Mane won it all at Liverpool, and is ready for a new challenge with the record German champions.
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So, with Mane in their ranks, how will the German side line up?
Making a Bayern Munich team with Sadio Mane
In goal, Manuel Neuer would continue as normal, with the goalkeeper recently signing a new deal to stay at the club until the end of the 2023-24 season.
At the back, there will be one big change as Bayern will accommodate Moroccan right-back Noussair Mazraoui, who signed after leaving Ajax on a free transfer.
He will be joined at the back by Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernandez and Alphonso Davies, who have already lined up together several times for Bayern Munich over the years. Dayoy Upamecano will challenge Pavard for the right centre-back role.
In midfield, the tried-and-tested duo of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, who work well together for club and country, should continue at the beginning. There will be competition, though, from new Ajax signing Ryan Gravenberch, who could eventually oust Goretzka.
The attack is where the biggest changes will be seen as Mane joins it, and he may not get the chance to play with one of the club’s all-time great forwards.
Mane will slot in on the left wing, leaving no place for Serge Gnabry, who may be on his way out anyways with clubs like Real Madrid and Liverpool interested in him.
Kingsley Coman should be utilised on the right wing, although Leroy Sane enjoyed a fine campaign as he found his feet at the Allianz Arena under Julian Nagelsmann.
Thomas Muller is the creator-in-chief at Bayern Munich, so there is no reason to drop him as his output continues to remain consistent.
Up front, Robert Lewandowski seems to be more likely to leave than stay. Bayern are set to sign Stuttgart's Sasa Kalajdzic as a replacement, although it is possible Bayern will use a strikerless system next season.
