A recent report from Mundo Deportivo has revealed Sadio Mane’s interest in leaving Liverpool, with the superstar forward favouring a move to FC Barcelona in the summer.
Catalunya Radio has now offered an update on the situation, dismissing any possibility of a summer move to Camp Nou, as the club are not in a position to meet the player’s €90 million valuation.
Liverpool themselves could appear reluctant in offloading Mane at the end of the season, even though the winger’s contract at Anfield expires in 2023.
The report suggests Barcelona’s board members had met with Mane’s agents back in February. But it appears they are not eyeing a summer move, as paying LFC’s hefty demands could disrupt their financial structure.
Instead, the Catalans are eyeing a Bosman move for Mane at the end of the 2022/23 campaign. The Senegalese international will be a free agent at the time, allowing Barça to avoid paying the transfer fees.
The former RB Salzburg starlet is holding out for a lucrative €10-12 million per season contract. It is quite a fortune, but significantly lower than the demands of top targets Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland and fellow Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah.
Barcelona remain confident they can land Sadio Mane in the summer, as the player has expressed the desire to become a part of Xavi Hernandez’s setup at Camp Nou.
However, in order to sanction such a move, it is essential Barcelona rebuild properly. It could make it imperative for the club to offload fringe players.
Fortunately, it appears the Catalans have already started their overhaul, with Aston Villa currently on the verge of sealing a permanent move for Philippe Coutinho, for a fee of around €20 million. Others could soon follow.
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