Liverpool have told Sadio Mane and Bayern Munich that they will keep hold of the Senegalese forward unless their valuation is met.
Bundesliga champions Bayern have already had two official bids for Mane rejected by Liverpool, the second of which was worth up to £30m.
90min understands that Liverpool consider the offers that have been forward thus far to be derisory and want a deal worth at least £40m with further add-ons – meaning there is some distance in valuation between the two clubs.
Mane, who is out of contract at Anfield in 2023, has already agreed terms on an initial three-year deal at Bayern which does include an option to extend further.
90min has been told that Mane's Bayern contract is set to be worth around £350,000-a-week, far in excess of what Liverpool were prepared to offer him.
Listen now to 90min's brand new podcast, Talking Transfers, with Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey & Toby Cudworth. On their most packed show to date, the guys discuss Sadio Mane's valuation as Liverpool win the race for Darwin Nunez, how Marc Roca joining Leeds could allow Kalvin Phillips to depart for long-time admirers Manchester City, the latest on Manchester United’s pursuits of Frenkie de Jong & Antony and much more.
Mane did attract interest from clubs in Italy and Spain too, but he has made it clear to Liverpool that Bayern are the only club he wants to join – they in turn have told him he can only move if their valuation is met.
Sources at both clubs remain ‘confident' that the deal will happen, but a lot of work needs to be done – especially from Bayern's end to secure Mane's signature.
90min also understands that Liverpool are prepared to welcome Mane back into their squad for next season – despite the arrival of Darwin Nunez – if Bayern are not prepared to meet their demands.
Should that happen, Jurgen Klopp would have Mane, Nunez, Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino at his disposal, as well as exciting young forward Fabio Carvalho, who has joined from newly promoted Fulham.
