26 October 2023 , 05:38
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Sadio Mane has bought French club Bourges Foot 18, who play in the fourth-tier of the football pyramid.
The Senegal star, who left Europe in the summer to sign for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, has been looking to purchase a football club for some time and his relationship with Bourges Foot 18 president Cheikh Sylla has been key in him securing the deal.
An announcement was made on Wednesday on social media with Mane previously contributing some funds to the club to aid with their recruitment, according to ESPN. But he's now got involved fully having also received the approval of the mayor of the city, Yann Galut.
Following the completion of the deal Mane sent in a video message in which he said: "We’ve been working with the city for the past three years. We’re here to nurture and organise the club. The challenge is immense, but if the people of Bourges remain involved, I’m confident we can achieve our goals. I believe I’ll be visiting Bourges very soon."
The club are located 250 kilometres from Paris in central France, but they've never played higher than the French second tier (as Bourges 18). Bourges currently sit second bottom in Group B of the Championnat National. They were only formed two years ago following a merger between two clubs in the region.
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The league is made up of a mix of amateur teams and professional clubs who field their reserves, the likes of Toulouse and Angers. It also boasts teams like Cannes, who have endured a steep decline since giving French great Zinedine Zidane his professional debut.
Sadio Mane has become a majority club stakeholder (AFP via Getty Images)Mane began his professional career with French club Metz just over a decade ago before he moved to Red Bull Salzburg. It was there that he caught the eye of Southampton, who brought him to the Premier League and that allowed Mane to showcase his talents on the biggest stage.
The forward later moved to Liverpool, winning a host of honours including the Premier League and Champions League, while also scoring more than 100 goals. He brought the curtain down on his Anfield spell last summer and has since swapped Bayern Munich for Saudi Arabia.
Despite his continued success Mane has become known for his generosity - always remembering his roots and attempting to help those less fortunate.