Senegal boss Aliou Cisse has urged Liverpool forward Sadio Mane to seal a transfer to Bayern Munich ahead of the World Cup.
Mane is expected to leave Anfield this summer following six successful seasons on Merseyside. The Senegal superstar has entered the final year of his contract, and Bayern Munich have reportedly seen multiple offers for the 30-year-old rejected.
Liverpool's imminent signing of Benfica forward Darwin Nunez hints Jurgen Klopp is still preparing for Mane's departure. The Reds are facing up to a rebuild in attack, with both Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah also out of contract next summer.
Mane has been repeatedly asked questions over his future while on international duty, and Cisse is hopeful his star player is granted a move ahead of the World Cup. Mane previously enjoyed a spell at Austrian side RB Salzburg before moving to the Premier League, and the Senegal boss believes the forward will feel more settled at Bayern.
He told Source A via Senego: "And it's not just Sadio, and I'm going to talk about it for all those players who are in a situation where they have to find a club, it's complicated. Why? Because it is all this problem that awaits us for the World Cup which is in November.
"And I tell my boys to try to settle the contract problems so that when their respective championships resume, they will have already found a base. I heard about Sadio at Bayern. For me it is a club that is of standing.
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"Bayern is intensity, pressure football with a German coach. Sadio played in Salzburg in Austria which is a border country, and that means he is not going into unknown territory. For me, the club where he will feel the best is Bayern."
The Reds have urged the Bundesliga champions to match their valuation in excess of £40 million, but the latest bid only included an upfront payment of £23.5 million. With the signing of Nunez expected to be announced in the coming days, Klopp stands to have a plethora of attaking options at his disposal.
Bayern are also facing up to the loss of their own star striker, with Robert Lewandowski publicly outlining his wish to leave following almost a decade at the club. The Poland international has namechecked Barcelona as a potential destination, although the Bundesliga champions are said to be demanding in excess of £40 million.
Liverpool's decision to turn the latest offer could leave Mane stuck in no man's land this summer, with Bayern chief Hasan Salihamidžić suggesting the Bavarians may consider other options. He told reporters: "Generally speaking, we're trying to strengthen our team.
"We're working on several options in attack. The transfer market is not easy, it always depends on the financial possibilities of the club.
"I don't want to talk about players of other clubs. Of course, we can't rely on one option to strengthen our attack. We must have several options."
