"He will get in his armchair, light a cigar up" - Dean Saunders says Liverpool superstar Sadio Mane could 'ruin' best 2 years as a footballer by sealing Bayern Munich switch
Former Liverpool forward Dean Saunders has stated his belief that Sadio Mane's move to Bayern Munich is detrimental to his career.
The Senegal international recently completed a £35m transfer to the German champions and is set to complete his medical.
However, Saunders believes the move is a mistake and told talkSPORT that Bayern's total dominance in the Bundesliga means Mane will not face much of a challenge.
“Nothing against the club, it’s a great club, but the league is nowhere near a challenge for Mane. He’ll get goals. They win 5-0 every week, only one team can win the league.
“It’s not a challenge. He will get in his armchair, light a cigar up, he’ll play for Bayern in third gear and he’ll coast for two years and ruin the best two years of his life as a footballer.
“At the end of his career, if he said to you ‘come and look at my trophy cabinet’, the German league winners medal will be right at the back.”
Sadio Mané, Liverpool and Premier League great. Thank you.❤️ https://t.co/U4n7aGmFEm
Saunders also stated that Mane has played the best football of his career in the last six months. He added that the Senegalese forward is unlikely to find another strike partnership like the one he enjoyed at Anfield.
“I can’t believe he’s leaving Liverpool, I don’t know how it’s got to this point. He’s 30, I think of all his time at the club, the last six months, he’s played the best football, he’s been unstoppable at times.
“He went up the middle when Diaz signed and he started getting better and better at finding the pockets and linking the play up. I can’t get my head round why you’d want to leave Liverpool right now, when you’re playing the best football of your life in the best combination front-three he’ll ever play in, to go and play for Bayern Munich.”
Mane departs Liverpool having scored 120 goals and provided 48 assists in 269 matches in all competitions for the Reds.
His time at Anfield saw him become an all-time great, with six major trophies won in the six years he spent at Merseyside.
Sadio Mane will attempt to gain more success at Bayern Munich after cementing his legacy at Liverpool
Sadio Mane arrived at Anfield in the summer of 2016 as a player with plenty of promise following his exploits for Southampton. However, many expressed doubt over whether he was worth the amount Liverpool paid to sign him.
The former Salzburg man has since silenced his critics and is inarguably one of the very best players in the world.
#FCBayern
Sadio Mané is set to join Bayern on a permanent deal from Liverpool, here we go! Agreement set to be reached after direct meeting between the two clubs today. 🚨🇸🇳 #FCBayern
Personal terms already 100% agreed on a three year deal.
Deal called by @Plettigoal is now finally done. https://t.co/bbMN6MuEIm
Having failed to sign a contract extension at Anfield, he will be joining another continental heavyweight in Bayern Munich.
The Bavarians are one of the most successful sides in the history of the game. This move offers Mane an opportunity to write another chapter in what is already a storied career.