Sadio Mane has revealed just how close he was to joining Liverpool’s rivals – Manchester United, the ace revealed how Jurgen Klopp inspired him to join the Reds.
According to The Express, Liverpool star Sadio Mane revealed how a phone call from Jurgen Klopp convinced him to shun United’s interest in his services and join the Reds.
Mane joined the Anfield outfit in the summer of 2016 for a fee reported to be £34m by BBC Sport, looking back the 27-year-old seems like a real bargain, Mane has scored 35 goals for Liverpool in 92 Premier League appearances.
This season has definitely been Mane’s best for the Merseyside outfit, the Senegalese star scored 22 goals in the league, as a result the ace shares the Golden Boot with teammate Mohamed Salah and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Here’s what Mane had to say on his decision to join the Reds over the Red Devils:
“I was really, really close because I even met up with them (United). So I was coming, I was there and I spoke with the boss who was there before (Louis van Gaal).
“They made an offer, but in the same week, (Jurgen) Klopp called me.
“He said: ‘I think it’s the right club. The right coach for you, and I think it’s better that you go to Liverpool’.
“For me I think it was the right time as well. I said, ‘I am going to Liverpool.’
“At that time, leaving Southampton, I saw many clubs, but I thought Liverpool was the right club for me.”
Mane even joked about Klopp’s reason for signing him:
“I played against Liverpool, I played against City, United, every team and I scored a lot against Liverpool when I was at Southampton, but still I thought this club is my club!
“The boss (Klopp) was at Liverpool and yet I always scored against them.
“I think he thought: ‘He’s always killing us, so let’s buy him!’ Yeah, just to stop me scoring against Liverpool – so it was good for us both!”
Mane has been phenomenal for the Reds this season and the Senegalese star will be hoping to close out on the campaign on a high by leading Liverpool to Champions League glory against Tottenham tonight.
