’s sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, has backed summer signing to come good after a mixed start to life with the German giants.
The 30-year-old looked to have settled in quickly since his big move from Liverpool, scoring on his Bundesliga debut for the club, but things have slowed down since then.
The Senegal superstar has now gone five Bayern games without a goal and Salihamidzic admits that the forward needs longer to adjust to his new surroundings.
‘Sadio still needs a little time, he has to get used to the Bundesliga too, but he will. I speak regularly with him,’ the former Bayern utility man told Bild.
‘I know what it’s like to arrive as a newcomer to a team, in a different country, in a different city, in a slightly different football culture.
‘Sadio is in this process, everything will soon be more familiar to him and we will soon see that on the pitch too. He is one of the best players in the world, we will still have a lot of joy with him.’
Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann has echoed the sporting director’s thoughts, saying he must adjust, especially as he is taking on a slightly different position with his new side.
However, Nagelsmann did say that it is not just adapting, but he does want to see more from Mane.
‘He’s a new signing,’ said the Bayern boss after they beat Barcelona earlier this month. ‘He just needs to adapt. He was trying. I’m certain he will succeed for us. ‘Everything I need to say about Sadio, I’ll say to him and not in the media.
‘He played a new position today, which of course he didn’t play so much last year at Liverpool, but the years before that. It’s quite normal as a newcomer who of course still has to adapt to certain procedures that are a bit different to those at Liverpool.
‘I already said during the week that I would like him to do certain things more. Maybe less looking for the ball or team-mates and trying to be a bit more self-confident, but we are very happy that we have him and he will put his stamp on our game.’
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