Bayern Munich were interested in Liverpool's Mane - Rummenigge

Liverpool superstar Sadio Mane could have been a Bayern Munich player, but slipped through the German team’s fingers, according to CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

The Senegal winger, whose performances this season have drawn rave reviews, ended up at Red Bull Salzburg instead, before a move to Southampton and eventually a big money switch to Anfield.

It was after he made the move to Austria from French side Metz that he drew the attentions of the Bavarian giants.

“We had an interest in Mane, but somehow it didn’t work out,” Rummenigge told Bild. “He then went to Southampton and later Liverpool. A shame.”

The attacker’s electric pace and goalscoring prowess would be particularly valuable to a Bayern side shorn of legends Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben this year.

Mane has scored eight goals and laid on four others in the Premier League this year as the Anfield side have opened up an eight-point lead that some see as unassailable despite there being two-thirds of the season remaining.

The Bundesliga champions have turned their attentions to another left-sided attacker plying his trade in the upper reaches of England’s top-flight.

They were linked with a move for Manchester City speedster Leroy Sane this summer, but no deal could be reached before the Germany international suffered a serious knee injury.

Rummenigge would not be drawn on whether the club would be back in for Sane, stating it would be bad practice to comment on another team’s player.

“If I said something about Sane there would be trouble,” the 64-year-old said. “And, above all, the price would not go down. Both are not good.”

Bayern have had an uneven start to the season and have already made a change in the dugout.

Niko Kovac has been sacked and Hansi Flick put in charge on an interim basis.

Rummenigge suggested that Flick’s good start to life at the helm, with four wins in five games, could see him get the job, at least until the end of the season.

“We’ve agreed that we will sit down after the last game, discuss and possibly continue with him beyond the winter,” he said.