The Senegalese were one of Klopp’s earliest signings at Liverpool. He joined the club in 2016 from English counterparts Southampton.
Sadio Mane has since become one of the greatest African players to ply his trade in Europe and he Is currently considered one of the best players in the world.
“I have to say, I was close to going to Manchester United. I had the contract there. I had it all agreed. It was all ready, but instead, I thought, ‘No, I want to go to Liverpool.’
“I was convinced to go with Klopp’s project. I still remember the first time I got the call from Klopp. I was watching TV. It was an action movie – because I love movies – and he said, ‘Sadio, listen, I want to explain to you what happened at Dortmund.’
“That was when he thought of signing me for Dortmund, and for some reason, it didn’t work out. He tried to explain, and I said, ‘it’s okay, it happened’. I forgave him. Then he said, ‘Now I want you at Liverpool.’
“And I said, ‘Okay, Dortmund is behind us, let’s focus on the future. He said, ‘We have a big project at Liverpool and I want you to be part of it. Then he asked what position I wanted.
“Because he could see at Southampton I played on the right side and I used to play on the left. I said I prefer left, and then he said, ‘but Coutinho is on the left!’ So, I said, never mind, I will play on the right. I could see myself in all the positions.”
Playing Style:
A versatile forward, Mané is a prolific goalscorer, whose main traits are his finishing, speed, technique, and trickery in possession, as well as his decision-making, tactical awareness, creativity, agility, balance, control, touch on the ball, and dribbling skills. He has drawn praise in the media for his intelligent play, passing, and his ability to get into good positions, from which he can score goals or create chances for teammates. Known for his quiet and timid personality, his ability to cope with pressure has also been highlighted as one of his main strengths. Beyond his offensive, technical, and creative qualities, his high defensive work rate has also been noted by pundits, as well as his ability in the air, despite his modest stature of 1.75 m.
Achievements with Liverpool and Senegal:
Tomorrow makes his third appearance in the UEFA Champions League final with Liverpool winning the latter in 2019 against Tottenham. He was part of the Liverpool side that broke a 30-year jinx to win the first Premier League for the Club. This Season, he has won two domestic trophies with the Reds. While With Senegal, he has won the AFCON, and one time, Africa player of the year award.
