I’d hazard a guess we have made offers to both Sadio and Mo
Both have asked for more and we can’t afford both and we have prioritised Mo’s offer. Love Sadio but if I had to pick I’d prefer Mo, especially with Diaz already signed. Sadio leaving this summer frees up space on the wage bill and gives us a fee which i’d expect lands around 30-35 mil.
We’ll sign a Diaz type player/deal on a lower wage and maybe it gives us a bit more to punt at Mo and at least a portion of the fee for whoever comes in too.
I agree with everything you’ve written on the topic. I too think that he’ll leave, and like you, I think that it’s ok for the club to cash in this summer if it’s Sadio’s wish to leave this summer.
However, I’m not sure that we have already replaced him. Yes, we have brought in a fine left winger who creates havoc and has superb technique. However, Sadio’s incredible strength and the number of goals he scores season after season need yet to be replaced imo.
Diaz is another type of player and it’s the same for Jota, he hasn’t Sadio’s athleticism. If Sadio goes, we’ll need to bring in a player who can bring that same kind of athleticism to the plate. If Sadio, a confirmed world-class player, goes without us bringing anyone else in, we could suffer next season I’m afraid, especially if Mo continues with his struggles in front of goal for a while yet.
Whilst agreeing with your post, it raises the question of what level of quality we need to replace Sadio?
Given the way the club recruit, it wont be like for like (world class), and more likely more of the same; smart recruitment and nurturing them to the top. Unless we go shopping for a striker, we need to hope that Diaz and Carvalho can fill the gap. In my view, even if we lose Mane, a central midfielder is still top priority.
Still think theres a chance he stays after all of this.
I think Diaz is already showing he can do a pretty good job, just needs to add more goals. But, he arrived mid-season so I’m expecting even bigger things from him after a full pre-season. And don’t forget, Jota can also play wide left so we’ve got options out there.
All this reminds me of the Coutinho deal. Everyone thought we’d spend a good chunk of that money on another number 10 type. Instead, we used the opportunity to fix the goalkeeper and centre back positions to address two of our biggest weaknesses and we were way better for it.
I suspect we see the same here. We’re not looking for a direct Mane replacement as such, more the next big piece in the jigsaw. Could be a number 9, could be a left winger so Mo can play more centrally. Could be we go big in midfield and spend less up top given we’re pretty strong there.
I wonder if the “special news” was going to be an announcement that he intends to leave, but he didn’t give it as the fans were already down after the defeat.
Had we won, the fans would’ve been in a buoyant mood and more receptive to his imminent departure.
Yeah it’s all fucking horseshit if you ask me. Cryptic clues, vague statements, ‘the fans know the truth’ or ‘the fans deserve the truth’ etc etc.
For once I’d like someone to come out and say, ‘listen, I’m staying for a season but I’m not going to renew because of x, y and z but I will give my everything while I am here so let’s enjoy the ride’
Or
‘Look guys, I’ve been offered a move and I’m considering it because of x, y and z and because I’ve won whatever I can with you and respect you guys so much you should know what I’m thinking of and why because of the respect we all have for each other’
Or
‘I love you, the Club and the Club has offered me a fair package so I’m staying’
Football is made by the fans, funded by the fans (unless you’re an oil club) and the only constant in any club is the fans as owners, managers, players and even support staff all come and go. I’d like players to remember that at some point.
One thing that really irks me is the fact that Firmino was signed in 2015, Mane in 2016, and Salah on 2017; yet we managed to extend their contracts in such a way that all three expires in 2023.
Sadio signed improved terms in 2018. That was near the top of our wage structure that year. Each season that passes, our top end wages are obviously increased.
If Mane wanted more, he could’ve extended in 2020 or 2021 on MUCH improved terms (like VVD in 2021). Declan Rice by some accounts is paid 3000 per week (he gets paid in one year what Mane gets in a week).
D Rice could’ve signed a new contract at any point in past two years to get much more. But he (like Gini) decided to be respectful (to the initial contract, which both parties were happy to agree), give 100% (this is KEY for me), and will leave in prime position to capitalize (this is fair enough, Gini could’ve had a career ending injury and had to retire, so it’s a gamble doing this).
So your thoughts on us treating Sadio as midrange is way off the mark. Of course there is rivally between Mo and Sadio. It has benefited us over the past 5 years. Just accept sometimes that after 6 years, someone may want to experience something new.
FWIW I think the pandemic totally messed us up. We are run very prudently. So in this uncertain 2020 to 2021 period, we were really unsure on what the future (wages and transfers) situation would be, and so I feel we probably skimped out on offering better terms doing that period.
Diaz has replaced him on the left. The only way you’d get as good a replacement as Diaz is by cloning Sadio. He’s reinvented himself as a central striker since Diaz’s arrival and Origi’s gone too so yes he does need to be replaced (again). I see this as an opportunity to further evolve the front line. Maybe bring in Mo’s replacement a year early because he’ll be the next one to go.
I can totally see this from Sadio’s point of view. There is intense competition up top now. Diaz is the main man on the left. If Jota starts banging them in again he could be the main man down the middle. Plus there’s still Bobby of course. Bayern are a great club and he’ll be the main man there. He’ll win stuff and make a few extra quid at the same time. I actually think it’s to his credit that he wants to go now rather than run his contract down and leave on a free. I also think the club are relaxed about it, have even anticipated it and will be content to let him go as long as they can squeeze more money out of Bayern.
I think I was a little unfair on the club in my initial post where it appears I was criticising them for not giving Sadio better terms when he extended in 2018. My point was more around £100k/week making him a mid-range earner at the club, but I think I’ve been corrected on that and he’s on around £150k/week, making him higher than midrange but not in the top half dozen at the club.
As I’ve said many times he’s without question my favourite forward at the club so I will be sad to see him go if he does in fact leave but wish him all the best. I think he’ll flourish stepping out of Salah’s shadow.
