Manchester United transfer news: Bayern Munich enter race for Southampton forward Sadio Mane

United and Bayern want to sign Mane in January but Southampton are willing to hold out until the summer transfer window

Southampton forward Sadio Mane is a transfer target for Manchester United and Bayern Munich (Getty Images)

Manchester United could miss out on January transfer target Sadio Mane after Bayern Munich entered the race to sign the Southampton forward.

United saw a bid for Mane rejected in the summer as manager Louis van Gaal and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward launched a late pursuit to bring the Senegalese to Old Trafford. But despite offering around £20m for the 23-year-old, United were knocked back by Saints, and the south coast club will hold out for double that figure if they are to sell him in January.

Mane has enjoyed an impressive spell with Southampton since joining the club in the summer of 2014, and has scored 17 goals during his 18-month stay in the Premier League.

But according to the Daily Mail, Mane could be offered the chance to move to Germany after Bayern expressed an interest in launching a transfer offer next month. Chelsea are also reported to be interested in signing Mane, although it’s understood that the player would prefer to join United should the chance present itself.

The prospect of a move in January is slim though, with Southampton willing to hold out for at least £40m to part with one of their most talented players, and the interest coming from the Bundesliga champions will only help their attempt to try and trigger a bidding war.

However, it’s added that Saints are already looking at replacements for Mane with a reluctant acceptance that they will probably have to sell him in the summer should the interest remain.

Sadio Mane in action for Southampton (Getty Images)

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman this week stressed that the club needed to spend money on the right players in order to not be “left behind” in the Premier League. The club have received large income due to the sales of Morgan Schneiderlin and Nathan Clyne in the summer, while last year’s departures of Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert and Calum Chambers generated more than £60m for the club.

The club’s hierarchy still hope that they can tie Mane down to a new contract, with his current deal set to expire in 2018, but so far preliminary talks have proven a non-starter and there is an acceptance that he could choose to leave if United still want him in the summer.