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Report: Bayern Munich to sign Mane from Liverpool for €32M

Bayern Munich reached an agreement with Liverpool on Friday to sign Senegalese forward Sadio Mane for an initial €32 million, The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano reports.

Bayern could pay an additional €8 million in bonuses, according to Romano.

Liverpool reportedly allowed Mane to leave after completing a potential €100-million deal for Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez. Mane had already agreed to personal terms on a three-year contract with the reigning Bundesliga champions.

The Reds rejected two bids before hashing out a deal with Bayern on Friday.

Mane informed Liverpool of his decision to leave shortly after the Champions League final May 28, according to Romano. Liverpool lost 1-0 to Madrid in Paris.

The 30-year-old could replace Robert Lewandowski, who’s pushed to leave Bayern amid reported interest from Barcelona. The Bavarians had told Lewandowski to honor his contract – which runs for another year – but may now soften their stance.

Mane compiled an impressive resume over the last six seasons with Liverpool. He won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup while racking up 120 goals and 38 assists in 269 appearances for the Merseyside outfit.

His contract with Liverpool was set to expire in June 2023.

NFL

Like father like son: How former pros helped their sons make it in the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB

Like father, like son.

That’s certainly the trend in professional sports.

More than a few players in the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB have followed in the footsteps of their dads. In fact, in three of those four sports, the number of second-generation players has increased notably this century.

Second-generation players*

League 1981 2001 2021
NFL 1.0% 1.8% 3.4%
NHL 1.9% 1.5% 6.1%
MLB 1.9% 2.9% 1.9%
NBA 1.3% 1.6% 4.9%
*Minimum one game played

The NHL tops the list as 6.1% of players who took part in at least one game last season have a father who played in the league, up from 1.5% in 2001. The NBA is next with 4.9% (up from 1.6%) and the NFL was at 3.4% last season (up from 1.8%). MLB had the most second-generation players in 2001 (2.9%) but dropped to 1.9% in 2021.

What was it like to grow up with a father who played sports professionally? Did they push their sons to carry on their legacy? Did the kids have any advantages in their goal to become professional players?

Heading into Father’s Day, we checked in with second-generation combos Melvin and Jump to:
NBA’s Bookers | NHL’s Domis | MLB’s Bryans | NFL’s Pittmans

“I just spent every moment with him,” Melvin Booker said of his son, Devin, when he was home during offseasons and Devin was a child. Courtesy Melvin Booker

Devin Booker’s journey to the That’s when Melvin stepped up his game as a father.

Can you predict the NBA draft? Play for FREE and compete for a chance to win $20,000! Create an Entry

Devin moved to Mississippi from Michigan to attend high school — and so his dad could train him. For the next few years, Melvin was more than a dad. He was a coach, trainer and mentor.

“We were like best friends, together every day,” Melvin said. “I missed a lot of Devin’s life because I was overseas, and those seasons are like 10 months long over there. So, whenever we were together, it was like catching up.”

Melvin was sharing NBA-level coaching with his son — something not many, if any, of Devin’s peers in Mississippi were receiving. Melvin taught his son how to lift weights, how to eat right, how to put in time after practice with one-on-one drills.

It helped that Melvin was always one of Devin’s coaches, whether it was a head coach or an assistant on his high school or AAU teams. He’d give Devin in-game adjustments, dissecting the game and information at a pro level. And Devin soaked it all in.

Devin was the definition of a “Basketball Jones.” Being an NBA player was all he wanted to be, and Melvin used his career as a blueprint for Devin, who has gone on to be an NBA All-Star. He also made sure to not push Devin too hard.

“There’s a thin line,” Melvin said. “I understand that as well.

“We never had one bump in the road along the way.”

It all hit Melvin on the bus from the hotel to the 2015 NBA draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He sat by himself as the bus inched along in traffic, giving Melvin time to reflect on the moment.

“I’m like, ‘My son’s dream is about to come true,'” Melvin remembered.

He started to tear up.

Now, whenever Melvin watches Devin in person or on TV, he still sees the little boy who’d dribble around the house and talk about making it big.

“It’s a surreal feeling,” Melvin said. “It’s hard to even explain it in words.

“He’s a professional basketball player, so it worked out for him.” — Josh Weinfuss

Carolina Hurricanes center Max Domi (left) thought it was totally normal to hang out with NHL greats like Mats Sundin when he was a kid and his dad, Tie (right), played in the league. Courtesy Max Domi

Some of Max’s most formative years came about during Tie’s time with the Leafs. It’s when he taught Max to not only love the game but respect it.

The Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning are facing off in the Stanley Cup Final. You can watch all seven games on ABC, ESPN+ and in the ESPN App.

Game 1:

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes made it to the majors, just like his father, Charlie, but he had a bumpy start to his T-ball career as a kid. Courtesy Charlie Hayes

One of the first times Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a home run in T-ball, he tripped rounding first base.

His dad looks back at those moments now and laughs.

To Charlie, who played in the major leagues for 14 seasons and won the 1996 World Series with the

“I used to trip and fall, like, back peddling and shuffling,” Ke’Bryan said. “Looking back, it’s funny to see how far I’ve come from the time I was 5, 6, 7 all the way to now. Without [my family], I wouldn’t be here today.”

Now in his third season as a major leaguer, with an eight-year, $70 million contract signed earlier this season, Ke’Bryan is more than capable of staying on his feet when he hits a home run for Pittsburgh just like his dad did when he was with the Pirates in 1996.

Because Charlie retired when Ke’Bryan was 4, Ke’Bryan doesn’t remember much about his dad’s professional career.

Who is the greatest baseball player ever? We ranked the 100 best to ever take the diamond.

Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father, RB Michael Pittman, who had an 11-year NFL career. Courtesy Michael Pittman

Pittman Jr. even thought he was going to follow in his father’s footsteps by wearing his No. 32 and playing running back. This was all junior’s thinking. His father supported him, rather than pushing his son throughout his Pop Warner days.

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Soccer

Report: Liverpool reject Bayern's improved £30M bid for Mane

Bayern Munich will need to step up their efforts to pull off a deal for wantaway Liverpool star Sadio Mane.

Liverpool brushed aside a second offer from the Bundesliga giants, believed to be worth as much as £30 million with add-ons, reports Andy Hunter of The Guardian.

It was a slight improvement from Bayern’s first offer of £25 million.

But the Reds likely won’t part with the prolific scorer unless they receive a bid in excess of £40 million, Hunter adds.

Bayern’s latest approach included incentives Liverpool didn’t think were realistic or achievable, including winning the Champions League and Mane claiming the Ballon d’Or in each of the three seasons he would be expected to sign for in Germany.

Mane, who has 12 months left on his contract, reportedly informed the Merseyside club of his desire to pursue a fresh opportunity elsewhere after six seasons at Anfield.

The Senegal international evolved into one of football’s brightest attacking players following his transfer from Southampton in 2016. He played a pivotal role in helping Liverpool win the Champions League in 2019 before guiding them to their first Premier League title in 2020.

His departure could pave the way for the Reds to increase their reported pursuit of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, who the Portuguese club value at £85 million.

Meanwhile, Mane could fill a massive void at Bayern if Robert Lewandowski departs this summer after eight years in Munich. The Polish star has demanded a transfer, but club officials expect him to honor the final year of his contract, which expires in June 2023.

Soccer

Report: Pogba agrees to rejoin Juventus on free transfer

Paul Pogba has verbally agreed to join Juventus for a second time as his Manchester United contract winds down, according to The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano.

The Frenchman will take home a net salary of €8 million per season before bonuses – a significant drop from his income at the Red Devils – to ensure his return to Turin. United recently confirmed Pogba will be a free agent when his deal expires at the end of June.

The 29-year-old will be under contract at Juventus for four years, ESPN’s Julien Laurens reports. His Bianconeri comeback appeared inevitable when he apparently rejected interest from Manchester City due to fears over an “unbearable” backlash for switching between crosstown rivals.

Paris Saint-Germain were also linked to a potential move for Pogba, but those rumors cooled when sporting director Leonardo left and Luis Campos was appointed as football adviser.

During his first four-season stint with Juventus, Pogba collected four Serie A titles while winning the Coppa Italia twice and the Supercoppa Italiana twice.

It’s understood that Pogba will explain the reasons behind his summer move to Juventus in his documentary, “The Pogmentary,” which will be released on Amazon Prime on Friday.

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