Debutants Sadio Mane and Matthijs de Ligt both scored in their first friendly appearance for their new club as Bayern Munich defeated DC United 6-2 on Wednesday.

Mane, fresh off his move away from Liverpool, did not have to wait long to open his account, stepping up to the penalty spot after Lucas Copado was brought down less than five minutes into the action.

He made no mistake from the spot, hammering his penalty into the left side of the goal to give Bayern a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute.

Marcel Sabitzer doubled the advantage in the 12th minute with a strike from the top of the box that wrong-footed the DC goalkeeper, and Serge Gnabry made it 3-0 at the break when he got on the end of a Mane assist in the 44th minute.

Bayern subbed on an entirely different 11 for the second half, including new arrival from Juventus De Ligt, and he made an emphatic entrance, firing home a left-foot volley from a corner to score 90 seconds later.

Joshua Zirkzee made it 5-0 in the 51st minute after an assist from Kingsley Coman, before DC finally answered back with a Skage Leland strike in the 54th.

Theodore Ku-Dipietro would give the American side something else to cheer for with his goal in the 83rd minute, before Bayern icon Thomas Muller completed the rout to make it 6-2 in the 92nd.

Bayern Munich players must share the goalscoring burden after Robert Lewandowski's move to Barcelona, according to Joshua Kimmich, who hopes new arrival Matthijs de Ligt can contribute at both ends of the pitch.

Lewandowski completed his long-awaited move to Camp Nou earlier this week, having declared "something had died" within him after netting 50 goals in all competitions during his final season with the Bundesliga champions.

The Poland international has scored a total of 312 Bundesliga goals, with 238 of them coming during an eight-year spell with the Bavarian giants, and finished as the league's top goalscorer in each of the last five seasons.

Bayern had already added Liverpool's Sadio Mane in a bid to lessen the impact of Lewandowski's exit, but Kimmich believes the Senegal forward cannot replace the 33-year-old's goals alone.

"With Lewy we lose a lot of goals, which we all have to make up for collectively," he told Bayern fans at an event in Washington, D.C. 

"Sadio Mane is a great player, but I don't think he's the player who scores 40 or 50 goals in the end. Sadio is hungry, wants to win titles, wants to score goals and move forward. We hope to see that from him.

"He brings other qualities with him, so that another might score more goals. We have a few attacking players who can be dangerous.

"It's also one of my targets to score more goals. There were three goals last season, that can definitely be improved."

Having received an estimated €50million for Lewandowski's services, Bayern announced the signing of Netherlands international De Ligt on Tuesday, as they bid to strengthen in defence.

Kimmich believes reinforcing Bayern's backline could make all the difference after the loss of Lewandowski's goals, though he also backed the defender to contribute going forward.

"Matthijs de Ligt has the skills to lead, organise and direct," Kimmich added. "Hopefully he will score a goal or two for us, which is important after Lewy's departure. 

"The 50 goals have to go somewhere! It's good for us when we have someone at the back who's good at tackling, who can organise, and also scores goals. We have great quality in the central defender position.

"Without Lewy, it's even more important to work better at the back. And as long as we're winning the games, it doesn't matter if we have a number nine."

Meanwhile, Kimmich could feature alongside a new midfield partner next term after the club signed Ajax's breakthrough star Ryan Gravenberch for a reported fee of €19m.

And the 27-year-old was enthusiastic about Gravenberch's progress since joining, adding: "He's doing really well in training. 

"[He's a] super boy, very sure on the ball, technically top, physically good. He's 19 years old, it's impressive that he's already at such a high level. He can be very helpful to us."

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Edouard Mendy have made the final three-man shortlist for the African Football's (CAF) Men's Player of the Year award.

The trio all plied their trade in the Premier League last season, though Mane has since left Liverpool to join Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Mane scored 23 goals in 51 games for Liverpool in his final season at Anfield, winning the EFL Cup and FA Cup and reaching the Champions League final, as well as scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out to win the Africa Cup of Nations for Senegal in February.

His former Reds team-mate Salah was on the losing Egypt side in that AFCON final, but had a stellar club campaign in 2021-22, scoring 31 goals in 51 games for Jurgen Klopp's men.

Mendy did not enjoy the same success for Chelsea as he had in 2020-21 when he won the Champions League, though kept 22 clean sheets in 49 games in all competitions in 2021-22, and did lift the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup with the Blues, while also being a part of the successful Senegal team at the AFCON in Cameroon

The seven players to miss out from the 10-man longlist released last week are another Liverpool man in Naby Keita, Mendy's new Chelsea and international team-mate Kalidou Koulibaly, as well as Riyad Mahrez, Vincent Aboubakar, Karl Toko Ekambi, Achraf Hakimi and Sebastien Haller.

Due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been three years since the award was handed out, with Mane winning in 2019 ahead of Salah and Mahrez.

The final three for the Women's Player of the Year award are Grace Chanda of Zambia and BIIK Kazygurt, Ajara Nchout Njoya of Cameroon and Inter, and Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria and Barcelona.

The winners of both awards will be announced on Thursday.

With the end of one transfer saga comes the start of another. 

Robert Lewandowski has secured a long-awaited move to Barcelona, fulfilling a "dream" in the process and leaving Bayern Munich in the market for a new striker to lead their line.

But just how do you go about finding a like-for-like replacement for the most prolific marksman anywhere in the world?

One suggestion is that Bayern will make do with what they have, with Sadio Mane – a wide forward rather than a striker – having already been recruited from Liverpool this window.

While that may work, there are other potential options out there for Bayern to consider ahead of their latest title defence as they aim to win the Bundesliga for an 11th time in a row.

Here, Stats Perform takes a closer look at exactly what the Bavarian giants are losing in Lewandowski, and where they could go next.

LEWY LEADS THE WAY

Labelling Lewandowski as the best striker in European football is not hyperbolic when assessing the cold hard facts. 

The Poland international is coming off the back of a campaign that saw him register 50 goals in 46 games in all competitions, which is six goals more than the next-best Karim Benzema among players from Europe's top five leagues.

It is not like Lewandowski's output levels were dropping, either. The 35 league goals he registered last season are second only to the record-breaking 41 netted in the 2020-21 campaign across his 12 seasons in the German top flight with Borussia Dortmund and then Bayern.

Indeed, he has finished as the league's top scorer in each of the past five seasons, scoring 161 goals across that period, with no other player managing such a long streak in the competition's history. 

BEST OF THE REST

Put simply, Bayern surely cannot match those numbers with one player alone. If it is a pure goalscorer the German champions are after to fill the void, the aforementioned Benzema would be their best bet, the Real Madrid striker having scored 44 goals in 46 games last time out.

Persuading Madrid to let go of their focal point in attack would be nigh-on impossible, of course, likewise with Kylian Mbappe – Europe's third most prolific player in the 2021-22 season (39 goals in 46 games) – at Paris Saint-Germain.

Next on that particular list is RB Leipzig's highly-rated talent Cristopher Nkunku, who scored 35 goals in 52 matches last season and also chipped in with 16 assists. When purely weighing up goal involvements, Nkunku was only five short of Lewandowski last season, in a team with far less quality.

Indeed, Nkunku's 35 strikes last season came from an expected goals (xG) value of 28.23, meaning that he found the net 6.77 times more than he should have judging by the quality of the chances. Only Benzema (9.9) can better than across Europe's top five leagues.

Nkunku is not strictly a number nine, though, and his arrival – even if Bayern could tempt Leipzig into selling – would mean Julian Nagelsmann having to adapt his system in the final third of the field.

FORGET KANE... GO FOR KALAJDZIC

The likes of Timo Werner, Patrick Schick and Harry Kane are other names to have been touted as possible replacements for Lewandowski. Kane in particular would suit Bayern's system, and Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn admitted last week it would be a "dream" signing – while at the same time completely dismissing a move for wantaway Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

With another couple of years to run on Kane's contract, however, and Tottenham demanding a nine-figure sum from Manchester City this time last year, the Bavarians would have to spend big to bring in the England international.

For a club that has only once spent in excess of €40m on an attacking player – Leroy Sane from Manchester City two years ago – and having already splashed the cash to bring in Mane from Liverpool, that seems unlikely to happen.

There is more than goals alone to judging just how good a striker is, of course, and some players are certainly more attainable than others. Look no further than Sasa Kalajdzic, who boasts a number of qualities suited to Nagelsmann, not least his presence in the box.

At six foot and seven inches, Kalajdzic is one of the tallest players around and knows how to put that to good use, with exactly half of his 22 Bundesliga goals coming via his head.

Despite playing just 22 top-flight matches since his Stuttgart debut at the end of the 2019-20 season, those 11 headed goals are bettered only by Andre Silva (12) and – him again – Lewandowski (13), who have played 45 and 83 games in that period respectively.

Kalajdzic may have missed most of last season through injury, but six goals in 15 games for a side involved in a relegation scrap suggests he is a player with plenty of potential and, just as importantly, likely to be gettable, as Stuttgart director Sven Mislintat recently admitted given the 25-year-old is out of contract next year.

MANE AND GNABRY TO STEP UP?

Away from the dream options and outside picks to take over from Lewandowski, Kahn himself said last week that in Mane his side already have a ready-made replacement.

Position wise that is not technically true, of course, but there is no doubt that Mane's goals return across his six seasons with Liverpool was mightily impressive.

With 120 goals in all competitions for Liverpool, he averaged a goal every 189 minutes – exactly one every two matches. Mane also assisted 37 goals, meaning he was directly involved in a goal every 137 minutes. 

In the Premier League, only Kane (134), former team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Leicester City's Jamie Vardy (104) scored more goals than Mane (90) over the course of his Liverpool career.

Unlike with Liverpool's front three, Bayern have been used to having one focal point up top in Lewandowski.

Serge Gnabry, who recently signed a contract extension at the Allianz Arena, can also play through the middle if called upon, and has done so to good effect for the Germany national side.

If reports from the German media are to be believed, that is the route Nagelsmann will have to go down for the 2022-23 season until a big-name number nine can be recruited further down the line.

Whether it will work will be intriguing to see, with the only certainty in all this being that Bayern can no longer turn to go-to man Lewandowski in their time of need.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists the Reds must be excited rather than concerned about the prospects of the new season, despite the departure of Sadio Mane.

Mane completed a €41million (34.7m) move to Bayern Munich in June, ending a successful six-year spell at Liverpool, where he won both the Premier League and Champions League.

Since arriving from Southampton in 2016, Mane scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League games, a tally bettered only by Jamie Vardy (104), Mohamed Salah (118) and Harry Kane (134) in that period.

The Senegal international heads to the Bundesliga champions for the 2022-23 term, while Klopp's side have brought in Darwin Nunez from Benfica to fill the void up top.

Salah has also penned a contract extension at Anfield, with youngsters Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay arriving as well, and Klopp believes Liverpool have no reason to worry for the next campaign.

"We know how good Sadio is, we will realise how good he was for us in moments because there were just 'Sadio moments' when no one else can do it like him," Klopp told Sky Sports News.

"That's not a bad thing because two years ago Diogo Jota came in and Diogo did amazing stuff for us.

"Bobby Firmino had probably not the season we all expected because of injuries but in training Bobby is back, 100 per cent. He's a world-class player.

"You don't have to be worried when you think about us or you can be excited about what's possible for us. We cannot do the same thing year-in, year-out, it's just not possible.

"We have a base, we have to build on this base and be more unpredictable for other teams and that's possible with bringing in other players because they have a different skill-set.

"How can you keep going? How can you improve a world-class football team? It's by training, obviously – we believe in that a lot – but as well in bringing new players in.

"We need fresh blood, a new dynamic, fresh desire to create a team full of excitement and determination for the things coming.

"Sometimes you do it exactly like you want and sometimes you have to react on a situation like when Sadio told us that he wants to move on. We have to replace him, he's a pretty good player.

"Thankfully we could do that already in the window by bringing in Luis [Diaz] and now Darwin. Fabio is a very exciting player.

"Two of the world-class front three are still here plus extra, extra quality, The spine of the team is as well, the last line, the midfield, have a very interesting mix of experience and youth. I'm really looking forward to working with that."

There have been growing suggestions Liverpool still require another midfielder to partner Thiago and Fabinho, with Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham among the names heavily linked to Merseyside.

Despite still being aged 18, Bellingham started 44 games for Dortmund in all competitions in the 2021-22 season – four more than any other player – but Klopp will not be making a move for the midfielder.

"No. I can say that," he told reporters when asked if there would be more transfer activity. "I don't think something will happen in midfield, but you never know. If somebody comes to you and says, 'I want to go'.

"Nobody came to me but if that happens then we have to talk. But if the situation stays like it is, then tell me why [I should sign someone]? I do not understand.

"People told me about this discussion but the last thing that would have crossed my mind is that we have to do this.

When pressed on interest in Bellingham, Klopp added: "He's not on the market, so that's the first problem with that player. Well, the only problem with that player!"

Sadio Mane insists Robert Lewandowski is "one of the best" strikers in the world, but does not want to be involved in discussions over his future at Bayern Munich.

Lewandowski has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona, with the striker after a new challenge following eight seasons at Sabenerstrasse, and 12 in total in the Bundesliga.

Mane arrives this off-season at Bayern in similar circumstances, seeking a departure from Liverpool with a year left on his deal after six seasons at the club, helping them win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, while also winning the African Cup of Nations with Senegal in 2021.

Speaking in an interview with BILD, Mane did not want to get caught up in any unnecessary drama with that in mind.

"Clearly, Robert Lewandowski is one of the best strikers in the world," Mane said. "But I'm not the right person to talk about his future or to say what the club should do now."

The 30-year-old revealed he was following Bayern Munich during the past season, expressing lament over their Champions League exit at the hands of Villarreal despite dominating play, likening it to Liverpool's own exit in the 2019-20 season.

Mane also insisted with his help, this upcoming season in Europe will be improved for the reigning Bundesliga champions.

"Of course I saw the games. Bayern tried everything, but they couldn't perform at their best" he said.

"I know that feeling all too well, that's how we felt at Liverpool against Atletico Madrid. But I assure you, next season will be different. I'm here now and we'll give everything.

"We have to be convinced that we can do anything. And when I look at the quality of this team, I think it's one of the best in Europe."

Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has hit out at "arrogant idiots" in the English media, while praising Bayern Munich in their signing of Sadio Mane.

Bayern confirmed Mane's signing from Liverpool last Wednesday, with Watzke heralding the 30-year-old's transfer as one that improves the quality of the Bundesliga.

With Karim Adeyemi and Adam Hlozek moving to Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, and with Ryan Gravenberch also set to sign for Bayern, the Bundesliga's top clubs have bolstered with talented youth.

Meanwhile, German World Cup winner Mario Gotze will head for Eintracht Frankfurt ahead of their debut season in the Champions League.

In an interview with Bild, the Dortmund CEO praised the Mane transfer and barked back on the competitiveness of English clubs in response to comments from Dean Saunders on Talksport, claiming Mane will waste his prime playing in "third gear" at a dominant Bayern.

"Sadio Mane is a very good transfer, on which I expressly congratulate Bayern," Watzke said.

"There are always some arrogant idiots like in this case. As a board member of Europe's club association ECA, I know that German football still has a good reputation.

"The English didn't win any of the three European titles last season - even though I would have really given Jürgen Klopp a chance with Liverpool in the Champions League."

Along with his role at BVB, Watzke is also the DFL's supervisory board chairman, overseeing the operation of Germany's professional domestic leagues.

While expressing Dortmund's excitement on the return of fierce rival Schalke to the German top flight with Werder Bremen, he insisted it was important for the overall health of the Bundesliga along with high-profile transfers.

"Not only are we looking forward to the Revierderby but the whole Bundesliga, because it is the mother of all derbies," Watzke said.

"This is important because next year a lot of conditions will already be in place for the resale of the television rights in 2025, and if the Bundesliga booms this season, that will help us a lot with marketing.

"The Bundesliga has to get stars like Mane and Gotze, but also create stars themselves again."

Sadio Mane's selfless attitude increased Julian Nagelsmann's desire for Bayern Munich to sign him from Liverpool. 

Bayern completed a €41 million (£35.2m) move for Mane on Wednesday, with the Senegal international signing a three-year contract at the Allianz Arena. 

The 30-year-old told the media at his presentation he would happily play "in three or four positions" for Bayern, but that decision lied with Nagelsmann. 

It was this team-spirited perspective that motivated Bayern to push the deal through. 

"Right from the first conversation he made a very selfless impression, which is extraordinary for a player with such a big name," Nagelsmann told the club's official website.  

"He said, quite modestly, he can imagine himself in any position.

"It's rare to experience that in a first conversation, that a player puts themselves completely at the service of the club and the coach. That made our urge to get the signing over the line even greater. 

"We have to wait and see what happens in the transfer market, but Sadio is a player who can easily play in four or five positions - and can also switch during the match." 

Nagelsmann was delighted to see a big-name arrival at the club with Robert Lewandowski hoping the Bundesliga champions will sell him to Barcelona rather than force him to see out the final year of his contract. 

The Bayern boss said: "We're Bayern Munich, we always have the chance to bid for big stars. 

"Sometimes we hit financial limits, especially with guys who are playing in England. That was different with Sadio because he has great desire for our project, our club and his team-mates. I was delighted." 

Mohamed Salah has paid tribute to Sadio Mane after the Senegal international swapped Liverpool for Bayern Munich in a €41million (£35.2m) move. 

Mane was unveiled as a Bayern player on Wednesday after signing a three-year contract with the Bundesliga champions, who have moved to strengthen their attack in the face of Robert Lewandowski's attempts to join Barcelona. 

The Senegal international scored 90 Premier League goals for Liverpool in a highly successful six-year spell at the club, with Salah (118) the only Reds player to outscore him during that time. 

Having also impressed for Southampton before making his move to Anfield, Mane hit at least 10 goals in all eight of his Premier League seasons – the most campaigns a player has played in the competition while reaching double figures each time. 

After Jurgen Klopp branded Mane one of Liverpool's greatest ever players in the aftermath of his departure, strike partner Salah moved to thank him for his contribution to a successful era. 

"It's been quite a ride!" Salah wrote on Twitter, alongside several images of the duo celebrating.  

"Thank you for all the good times and I wish you all the best in your new adventure! You will be missed by all of us." 

During his first press conference as a Bayern player, Mane said the decision to join Julian Nagelsmann's side was an easy one and he was already targeting competing for multiple trophies next season. 

"When Bayern showed interest, I was intrigued and didn't have to think twice. I had other offers too, but I chose FC Bayern. They're the right club for me," he said. 

"At Liverpool we fought for every title. It's the same at Bayern. When you play at Bayern you have to have the mentality to want to fight for every title. 

"My whole life is a challenge – and I love challenges. We have the right team together, everyone [here] is made to win titles. We will try everything to win all titles. 

"When you've spoken to the club and the coach, I can see how strong we are. I've followed the Bundesliga and the Champions League and there's no doubt that they're one of the best teams in the world." 

Mane represents the first major addition made by Bayern in the transfer window, but chief executive Oliver Kahn hinted he will not be the last. 

"The transfer window is still open for a very long time," he said. "We're watching everything that happens. We weren't satisfied with the second half of the season.  

"We know exactly where we need competition, where we need to set stimulus points in order to be successful." 

Asked about the potential impact of Mane, Kahn said the dynamic forward can raise the level of the Bayern squad as they bid to win a first Champions League title since 2019-20. 

"We want to try to win the Champions League every year," he added. "But you don't win it by saying it, you have to put it into action on the pitch, but also those responsible have to create the conditions. 

"He's a player who can lead the others. His presence can raise the level within a team. That's the quality that players like him have. So it's important to have top stars like him in our ranks." 

Jurgen Klopp has hailed Sadio Mane as one of Liverpool's greatest ever players following confirmation of his exit to join Bayern Munich.

The Senegal international hinted at his desire to leave Liverpool following the club's Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid and his €41million (£35.2m) move to the Bundesliga champions was confirmed on Wednesday.

Liverpool have already made moves in the transfer market to prepare for Mane's exit, landing Darwin Nunez from Benfica, but Klopp admitted it was a significant moment for the club in a passionate tribute to the 30-year-old.

"It’s a big moment. There is no point in anyone trying to pretend otherwise," he told the club's website. "One of Liverpool’s greatest ever players is leaving and we must acknowledge how significant this is.

"He leaves with our gratitude and our love. He leaves with his status among the greats guaranteed. And, yes, he leaves in a moment where he is one of the best players in world football.

"But we must not dwell on what we now lose, instead celebrate what we were privileged to have.

"The goals he scored, the trophies he won; a legend, for sure, but also a modern-day Liverpool icon."

Mane won everything he could during his six years on Merseyside, including the Champions League in 2018-19 and the Premier League in 2019-20, forming a formidable attacking trio alongside Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

While the entire squad was pivotal for those triumphs, Klopp hailed Mane for helping to make it all happen after quickly settling into life at Anfield following his arrival from Southampton.

The Liverpool manager said of Mane: "Since he first stepped through the door, he made us better.

"If someone had told us in that moment what he would go on to contribute and achieve for this club, I’m not sure it would have been possible to comprehend in that moment. Not the scale of it at least. Sadio made it all possible.

"To be that good for such a sustained period and continuously improve season on season – no matter how high he set his own bar in the previous one – is an example to any player anywhere on the planet that professionalism and dedication leads to reward."

The German coach also made it clear there was no hard feelings towards Mane for his decision to leave and tipped him to continue to grow as a footballer.

Klopp added: "I respect completely his decision and I’m sure our supporters do also. If you love LFC, you have to love Sadio – non-negotiable. It is possible to do this while accepting our loss is Bayern’s gain.

"We wish him nothing but success in every match he plays in, unless, of course, it’s against us. His star will continue to rise, I have no doubts."

Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has shut down suggestions that Robert Lewandowski will be leaving the club after they signed Sadio Mane.

The Poland international has entered the final year of his contract with the Bundesliga champions and has made it clear he is keen for a move, with Barcelona his preferred destination.

Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have also been attributed with an interest in the 33-year-old but, despite any desire Lewandowski may have for a new venture, Bayern's stance seems clear.

Queried by Sport Bild regarding suggestions that Barcelona are preparing a bid for the forward, he replied: "I don't care about that. I'm expecting to see Robert in training at Sabener Strasse on July 12."

Salihamidzic was then asked if Lewandowski's future had been secured with the signing of Mane but batted away the question once again, adding: "I understand your question, but our position is clear: Robert has a contract until the summer of 2023."

Bayern's capture of Mane from Liverpool on Wednesday stands as one of the headline transfers across Europe so far but the Bayern chief made it clear the signing was not to cover for a potential loss of Lewandowski.

He explained: "We signed Sadio to increase the competition in our team.

"We weren’t happy with our Champions League exit against Villarreal. We want to strengthen the fight for spots in our team.

"The signing of Mane will reshuffle the cards for every attacking player. We have never thought about having to let a player go when we signed Sadio."

Bayern begin the new season with a DFL Supercup clash against RB Leipzig, before commencing the defence of their Bundesliga crown on the road against Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt.

Sadio Mane says he achieved everything he could at Liverpool and is excited to embark on a new challenge after signing for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Mane has left Liverpool after a hugely successful six-year spell at the club, for whom he scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League games, a tally bettered only by Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy (104), Mane's Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Tottenham's Harry Kane (134) in that time.

The Senegal international's six major trophy wins at Anfield included the Champions League in 2018-19 and Liverpool's first-ever Premier League title the following year, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup.

Mane had made his intention to join Bayern clear after scoring 23 goals in all competitions as Jurgen Klopp's side won both domestic cups in the 2021-22 season, and his €41million move to Germany was confirmed by the Bavarian giants on Wednesday. 

In a farewell interview with the Reds' official media channels, Mane declared himself "Liverpool's number one fan" and said his move to Germany was motivated purely by a desire to prove himself elsewhere.

"Obviously it is strange – really, really strange – to no longer be a Liverpool player after six years," he said. "But of course, I had a great time, an unbelievable time.

"Since my first day I really, really enjoyed training, playing at Anfield especially, and in front of these amazing supporters.

"I think whoever is leaving Liverpool, with those supporters you will always miss them because [they are] the best in the world and I have always said it. Playing at Anfield I think always gives you so much power because of the fans. 

"I still have my house in Liverpool and everything so for sure I will come back, of course, and I would love one day to come back to Anfield to say hi to them and of course to watch Liverpool playing. I am going to be Liverpool's number one fan – after the supporters!"

Asked if he felt he had achieved everything he could with the Reds, Mane added: "Yeah, for sure. Like I said, from the first day I came to the club, I spoke to the boss when I was in Southampton and I think at that time we were not even in the Champions League. 

"He called me and I said, 'For sure.' I just decided in my heart that I am coming to Liverpool because that is where I see myself, and for me it was the right time and the right club to achieve everything. 

"I can say of course we won a lot and I spent a great, great time there. Like I always say, my life is always [about a] challenge and when it came, I said to the club that I want to leave, I want to go somewhere else to see a new challenge. 

"It is not anything else, it is just a challenge because for me I want to always be challenging myself to get better and better.

"There was a lot of speculation but I'm not a confused boy in my head. I know what I want and I know what is professional so for me, I was not even thinking about it [during the season] because I was still a Liverpool player and we had really, really important games.

"I will say that when I was a kid that was my dream, to win everything possible: trophies and individual trophies as well, that was my dream. That is the reason I never stopped working, I am a very hard worker. Of course, for me it was the right time and the right club."

Mane formed part of a fearsome front three alongside Salah and Roberto Firmino at Anfield, which has been refreshed with Liverpool's signings of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez this year.

And 30-year-old Mane thinks the Reds' goalscoring burden remains in good hands despite his exit.

"Bobby and Mo – what players!" he added. "I think there are no other secrets because playing alongside these great players, they make everything easier for me. 

"I think I am just supporting this and especially Bobby, who always dropped and made space for me and Mo, I think it was just incredible. 

"These two players, Liverpool still have great players and you have now Diogo [Jota] and Diaz also – wow, what a player they have! But it's normal, it's the best club in the world, so I wish them all the best."

Bayern Munich have completed the signing of Sadio Mane from Liverpool after striking a deal worth up to €41million (£35.2m) to sign the Senegal forward.

Mane hinted at his desire to leave Liverpool after their Champions League final loss to Real Madrid last month, at the end of a season in which he scored 23 goals.

With Liverpool signing striker Darwin Nunez in a reported £64million (€75m) deal from Benfica last week and Mane having just 12 months left on his contract, the 30-year-old has been allowed to depart after six successful years at Anfield.

He has played a key role in Liverpool winning their first Premier League title in 2020, reaching three Champions League finals - and winning one of them - and triumphs in the EFL Cup and FA Cup in the 2021-22 season.

Mane has signed a three-year contract with the Bundesliga champions.

"I'm really happy to finally be at FC Bayern in Munich," Mane said after the transfer was completed on Wednesday.

"We spoke a lot and I felt big interest from this great club right from the beginning, so for me there were no doubts. 

"It's the right time for this challenge. I want to achieve a lot with this club, in Europe too. During my time in Salzburg I watched a lot of Bayern games - I really like this club!"

Stats Perform understands Bayern will pay Liverpool a guaranteed sum of €32million (£27.5m) plus €6m (£5.2m) based on appearances, while a further €3m (£2.5m) is dependent on the Bavarian club and Mane meeting performance-related objectives.

Mane scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League games for Liverpool after joining Jurgen Klopp's side from Southampton in 2016.

Only Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy (104), Mane's Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Tottenham's Harry Kane (134) have managed more goals in the competition across that period.

As well as lifting both domestic cups during a successful final season with Liverpool, Mane played a key role as Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations title in February and qualified for the World Cup a month later.

Mane also struck up a brilliant partnership with fellow forward Salah at Liverpool, and his sale marks something akin to the end of an era for the Reds.

It remains to be seen what Mane's arrival means for the future of Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski, who has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona.

Bayern president Herbert Hainer said earlier this month he was "confident" Lewandowski will stay at the Allianz Arena, despite the Poland international declaring his time at the club is "over" and pushing for a move ahead of his contract expiring in 2023.

It is the end of an era at Liverpool as one of their iconic front three leaves for pastures new.

After six years at Anfield, Sadio Mane has departed for a new adventure with Bayern Munich, completing a move for €41million (£35.2million).

Stats Perform understands Liverpool will receive a guaranteed €32million (£27.5m), plus €6m (£5.2m) based on appearances and a further €3m (£2.5m) depending on future success that Mane and Bayern achieve.

The Reds have already moved on by bringing in Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez from Benfica, but it feels significant that Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah will never play together again for Jurgen Klopp's side.

The trio fired Liverpool to multiple trophies, including a Champions League and Premier League, though the additions of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz in the last couple of years had already seen a slight evolution.

However, Klopp has now lost one of his main men, which is an experience the German boss has had to get used to in his career, especially the idea of his players moving to Munich.

While it may not feel like quite the blow of past desertions given the forward planning, Stats Perform has taken a look at how the decision to leave Klopp went in the past.

Nuri Sahin

Sahin was always likely to be a major component for Borussia Dortmund when he became the Bundesliga's youngest player aged 16 years, 11 months against Wolfsburg in August 2006, a record that was only broken in November 2020 by Youssoufa Moukoko.

He shone under Klopp, particularly in 2010-11 when Dortmund shocked German football to win the Bundesliga title, with Sahin claiming the league's Player of the Year award and earning a move to Real Madrid.

After 14 goal involvements from midfield (six goals, eight assists) in his last season in the Bundesliga, Sahin struggled to do similar in Spain, making just 10 appearances in all competitions for Madrid, with one solitary goal in the Copa del Rey against Ponferradina.

An unsuccessful loan move to Liverpool the following season was cut short halfway through, and just 20 months after leaving Signal Iduna Park, Sahin was back in the yellow and black on loan, before making the switch permanent in 2014, staying until a move to Werder Bremen in 2018.

Shinji Kagawa

The Japan international spent two very productive seasons at Dortmund under Klopp between 2010 and 2012, winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles and scoring 21 goals in 49 league games.

Kagawa decided to try his hand at the Premier League, moving to Manchester United in June 2012, but much like Sahin, found the grass far from greener.

Due to injury, he only played a supporting role as United won the title in the 2012-13 season, scoring six goals in 26 appearances in all competitions, before making a further 29 in the first campaign at Old Trafford following the retirement of Alex Ferguson, with no additional goals to his name.

Like Sahin, Kagawa returned to Dortmund in 2014, spending a further five years at the club.

Mario Gotze

The fresh-faced Gotze came through the youth ranks at Dortmund and, like Kagawa, played a vital role in Klopp's great Dortmund side that won two Bundesliga titles, and also had a big hand in getting them to the 2013 Champions League final.

One of the side narratives to that final against Bayern was that prior to it, Gotze had agreed a €37m move to the Bavarian club.

Klopp was hurt by Gotze's decision, but although the attacking midfielder went on to score the winner for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final and have a decent record at Bayern, scoring 36 goals in 114 games, he never really established himself as a key cog in their team, and in a familiar move for those who had left Dortmund, returned three years later.

Gotze spent four years back in the yellow and black, but was never able to recapture the magic that made him one of Europe's hottest prospects under Klopp.

Robert Lewandowski

Arguably the only real success story of those who moved on from Klopp, though there is no denying that the building blocks were put in place by the German for Lewandowski to become the striker he is today.

Arriving at Dortmund as an unknown from Lech Poznan, he scored just eight times in 33 games in his first Bundesliga season, before going on to rack up 66 across his next three league campaigns.

His goals also played a part in Dortmund winning two titles and reaching the Champions League final, but a year after Gotze had moved to Bayern, Lewandowski did the same following the expiry of his contract.

There were thoughts that the Poland international might struggle to replicate his form to quite the expected levels in Munich, scoring just 17 goals in his first Bundesliga season.

However, since then he has never scored fewer than 22, and broke Gerd Muller's record for most goals in a Bundesliga season when he netted 41 times in just 29 games in 2020-21.

Since leaving Dortmund in 2014, Lewandowski has won eight Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokal's and a Champions League, while also being awarded the FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year in the last two years.

Philippe Coutinho

Klopp probably thought the days of losing his star players were behind him when he arrived at Liverpool, but on the eve of his third season at Anfield, he was rocked when Coutinho handed in a transfer request.

The influential Brazilian was part of Klopp's first great front three at Liverpool along with Mane and Firmino, but the arrival of Salah softened the blow of his move to Barcelona in January 2018, as did the reported £142m (€160m) fee.

Despite a promising start to life at the Camp Nou, the pressure of the price tag and essentially being the replacement for the legendary Andres Iniesta proved too much, with Coutinho loaned to, of course, Bayern after just 18 months in Spain.

He had a successful season in Germany, winning a treble and having 20 goal involvements (11 goals and nine assists) in 38 appearances in all competitions, but returned to Barca and again failed to impress, albeit a serious knee injury curtailed most of his 2020-21 campaign.

After 16 goals and seven assists in 84 games in all for Barca, Coutinho returned to England in January 2022 to play for ex-Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa, recording five goals and three assists, enough to secure a permanent move for a slightly more modest fee of around £17m (€20m).

Georginio Wijnaldum

The Netherlands midfielder may be a harsh inclusion as it remains unclear how much of his exit from Liverpool was his decision and how much was the club's, but Wijnaldum parted ways with Klopp and the Reds at the end of the 2020-21 season to join Paris Saint-Germain.

The man who earned cult status at Liverpool with his two goals against Barcelona in their dramatic comeback in the Champions League semi-final second leg three years ago would now get the chance to play alongside Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.

However, despite being a regular under Klopp, having never started fewer than 27 league games in his five years on Merseyside, the 31-year-old started just 18 Ligue 1 games for PSG, scoring once.

Wijnaldum was voted the worst signing in Ligue 1 by a poll held by Get French Football News, but still has two years left on his contract at the Parc des Princes, so could yet turn things around, and had a title winners' medal to show for his efforts after his debut campaign.

Mane will most likely win more titles in Germany to add to his already meaty collection from his time at Liverpool, but whether he can recreate the level of performances and subsequent adulation he received from the red half of Merseyside remains to be seen.

Sadio Mane's illustrious spell at Liverpool has come to a close after the forward completed a move to Bayern Munich.

The Senegal international had just one year remaining on his contract at Anfield and was yet to agree terms on an extension, leading Liverpool to accept a €41million (£35.2m) bid from the Bundesliga champions for his services.

Mane's departure will leave a void within Jurgen Klopp's attacking ranks, although work had already been done to prepare for the changing of the guard with the signing of Luis Diaz from Porto in January and the capture of Darwin Nunez from Benfica in June.

While Diaz has hit the ground running on Merseyside and expectations are high for Nunez, replacing Mane is certainly no easy feat – as displayed by his record over the past six years...

Reliable return

Mane's contributions have been vital to Liverpool's success, with 120 goals across all competitions for the Anfield club. He averaged a goal every 180 minutes – one every two matches.

With an additional 37 assists, Mane chipped in with a goal involvement every 137 minutes.

In the Premier League, only Harry Kane (134), team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Leicester City's Jamie Vardy (104) scored more Premier League goals than Mane (90) over the course of his Liverpool career.

Leading the way

As part of a devastating attacking trio alongside Salah and Roberto Firmino that helped fire Liverpool to multiple honours, including ending a 30-year wait for a league title, Mane was often the provider at crucial moments.

Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Mane's Premier League goals were worth 63 points; only Tottenham's Kane ranks higher in that regard, with strikes worth 75 points.

Mane (38) was also only behind Kane (43) for opening goals in Premier League matches, while he scored 29 winning goals – behind Kane (38) and Salah (34).

Crucial role

In six years at Liverpool, Mane made 269 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool, starting 248 of those – resulting in a total of 21,577 minutes for Klopp's side.

In that time, only Firmino made more Reds appearances, with 278, but Mane led the way for both starts and minutes.

Mane, Salah (20,697) and Firmino (20,142) were actually the only three Liverpool players to tally more than 20,000 minutes over this period.

Having Mane available so often was key, too, as Liverpool's win rate improved from 58.3 per cent without the former Southampton man to 65.4 per cent when he featured.