Sadio Mané Signs with Al-Nassr: African Champion, Champions League Winner, and New Teammate of CR7

Senegalese international Sadio Mané, African champion in 2022 and winner of the Champions League with Liverpool in 2019, has signed up with Saudi club Al-Nassr after just one season with Bayern Munich, announced both clubs today. According to the German press, the transfer of Sadio Mané to Saudi Arabia amounts to around thirty million euros. The 31-year-old Senegalese’s annual salary is said to be around €40m, plus bonuses of €10m depending on Al-Nassr’s results. “With his long absence, he could not invest in Bayern Munich, as we and as he had hoped.Bayern chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen said in a statement. That’s why together we wanted him to start a new chapter in his career, and to make a fresh start at another club.”

New partner of “CR7”

At Al-Nassr, Mané will evolve with the five-time Portuguese Golden Ball Cristiano Ronaldo (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017), who signed in January for two seasons. “CR7” was the first major recruit of the offensive led for eight months by Saudi Arabia on world football. In the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo, Frenchman Karim Benzema, Ballon d’or 2022 ahead of Mané, joined Al-Ittihad, as did his compatriot N’Golo Kanté. Other big names like the Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), the Brazilian Roberto Firmino (Al-Ahli), have signed in the Saudi championship. World champion with Argentina and seven-time Ballon d’Or (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021), Lionel Messi preferred North American MLS, signing at Inter Miami.