figure Lewandowski will go to Barca now they've approved the 25% tv rights cash infusion. Will be interesting if Mane plays a false 9.
On the one hand 35M is ridiculously low for a ballon dor candidate. On the other hand there weren’t too many options. There aren’t a lot of other clubs that were going to pay his wage demands. Liverpool weren’t doing it and he wasn’t going to an EPL rival.
Meanwhile it’s also tough to see him as a future ballon dor candidate anywhere other than Bayern. He has such a unique skill set. He is incredibly physical and fast. He wants to attack from the left wing. And put in a ton of work. He’s found it difficult the last couple years (Senegal too) as teams rotate fouling him and sitting back against his dribbles. He was an odd fit for Liverpool’s false 9 because his touch is not elite. Which didn’t help when teams defend in a low block. Liverpool adjusted by going more outside (Salah, Diaz and Jota) in to Mane instead of working through Firmino in the middle.
I don’t know how Bayern play. But Mane doesn’t have the touch of a false 9. He does have the work rate though. If he plays where he can work off the ball and find spaces in and around the box he’ll score bags of goals. Which is exactly what he wants. He wants to be a legend. And use that status to help his country.
I think he’ll do it. Again I’m torn. 35M is cheap for someone who could go on to do things at the very highest level. I just didn’t see him doing it anywhere else. I had always though Madrid. But apparently Benzema found the fountain of youth!
As you mentioned, Benzema has been outstanding, and I can't think of anyone else in my lifetime who emerged in his 30s from a (quietly underrated IMO) role supporting Ronaldo to someone who not only filled the stat sheet but also came up big when most needed on his way to a Ballon d'Or.
Re: your point on wanting to attack from the left, I think he would have fit Madrid wonderfully a year ago, but Vinicius has matured incredibly, and is one I'm very excited about, especially with the midfield now secured with Valverde-Cavaminga-Tchouameni. I was hoping Jovic would emerge as the heir apparent to Benz, but looks like we'll need to find someone else.
I think your P3-4 is exactly right, and Mane is the sort of professional who will make it work. Bayern has such a dominant position that he can find a role, and hopefully he will help offset Lewa's move out.
I wonder if he would have still ended up at Bayern if that wasn't the case.
I think there was under-the-surface tension between himself and Salah, and one of them had to go. Time will tell if Liverpool kept the right one.
There was a bit of it during the struggles last year. But everyone was dealing with it. They are both tremendous professionals with great admiration for each other. Very similar in a ton of ways. And in some ways want and respect a little of what the other had.
They are both huge figures in their country. Low maintenance superstars that don’t do any kind of night life. Salah is more revered in his country as an international superstar. But like Messi/Maradona struggles to live up to expectations of carrying a weaker overall club that has had past successes.
Mane on the other hand is truly adored by his people and isn’t overshadowed by the past. The people of Africa/Senegal treat him as a hero and want him to be viewed as the international icon like Salah.
AFCON and WC qualifications were no doubt difficult behind the scenes do to the three straight matches of immense magnitude. And I’m sure they heard a lot of noise. But I never saw anything translate to the pitch. But ultimately Mane was never going to be the international superstar he needed to be as long as he played with Salah. It was almost like Ronaldo overshadowing Benzema - who has probably been the best 9 of his generation (along with Suarez).
Liverpool never really had a chance to re-sign Mane. If they were/are going to break their wage structure it would have to be aided by marketing revenue somehow. Salah is significantly more marketable. For example he has 50M followers to Mane’s 11M on Instagram.
I think Mane ended up where he needed to (RM argument aside). It will be interesting to see how his international image changes.
Couple that with Mane actually wanting to leave know and I think you have the answer. Liverpool couldn't get nothing for both of them.
Look I’m tired of Salah dragging it out. And I’m sure that Liverpool are not offering his “market” rate. But unlike Mane, there’s nowhere else for Salah to go. Especially if Lewandowski goes to Barca.
He might stay, but I'm not sure he's willing to accept what Liverpool are willing to offer. I also think a free transfer opens up possibilities. I'm also not sure Lewandowski eliminates Salah. I don't know what that would do to their finances, but I think the Dembélé situation is something to take into account more. My bet:
Hell Newcastle can probably buy him now.
He desperately wants to win the Ballon dOr.
And his window to do that is getting smaller and smaller. His issue is that the club which gives him the best chance is also the club with the least amount of money to offer.
I’m just curious. Liverpool aside which 2 clubs do you think offer him the best shot at winning it?
Because I think City would offer him a great shot, but that's not realistic. We also know Bayern isn't a realistic possibility, but I think they would offer him a great shot. That essentially leaves Madrid and Barcelona.
PSG is a third, but he'd really have to go bonkers to overshadow Messi. I think Messi would take shine away even if he put up numbers equal to his best at Liverpool. He'd have to go above that and win UCL to win it at PSG. Also, I'm not sure if they consider Messi as their right winger, but I'm sure they'd try to make it work if they could get him.
Barca would be one. Madrid would be another and that’s a big emotional step to take I suspect.