Brazzo reveals the story behind Sadio Mané’s blockbuster transfer to Bayern Munich, receives praise from Uli Hoeneß

Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan “Brazzo” Salihamidžić has rarely, hell, probably never been praised as much as he has been for the past few months. He has successfully silenced his critics by carrying out this season’s blockbuster transfer window. If you thought acquiring big names would alone prove his merit, the success of these transfers has been the icing on the cake — Sadio Mané in particular, has mesmerized the fans, players and pundits alike with his incredible performances.

While Liverpool are currently struggling without Mané (two points after three games), Bayern are dismantling the Bundesliga with the Senegalese star’s pivotal presence as the Bavarians stun the world with outstanding performances against every opponent. For such an incredible player, the Bavarians paid only €32 million and naturally, Brazzo’s abilities as sporting director are to be credited for this.

Of course, everyone knows how the Mané transfer story began — a conversation about Serge Gnabry’s then-impending contract extension in Brazzo’s garden with Björn Bezemer and Daniel Delonga who also represented Mané.

In the podcast “Phrasen Mäher”, Brazzo spoke on the events that transpired. As Bezemer went to say his goodbye to Brazzo after the conversation in the garden, the Bosnian asked the agent if he was serious about Mané and Bezemer answered that there might be a chance.

Brazzo asked for a meeting, flew to Liverpool and in two days, met the recently-crowned African Footballer of the Year. Mané was immediately convinced of the Bayern project, and this was even before the finances were discussed. Brazzo accelerated the discussions, and made the infamous Mallorca visit to see Bezemer and laid the foundation for the transfer. The rest is, of course, history. Mané signed a three-year contract, making €22 million per year.

Ehrenpräsident Uli Hoeneß recollected the time when Brazzo placed the possibility of a Mané transfer in the front office at Bavaria, as he told Brazzo, “If we get it, you can buy it without our permission!” He ennobled the sporting director for the Mané transfer in Sport BILD, calling the transfer a “masterpiece”.