Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has made an exceptional start to his career at Bayern Munich.
After the Reds’ defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final in May, it became very clear that the 16-goal forward wanted out of Merseyside to explore a new challenge.
He bagged 120 goals in 269 matches for Liverpool across six very successful years, and is often credited with being the catalyst to set Jurgen Klopp’s spell alight.
“Sadio told me that he was looking for a new challenge,” Klopp said. “If that happens early enough, like it was in this case, and it happens in the right way and the new club the player wants to go to is open to negotiations then it should be like it was.
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“So we say thank you with biggest respect ever. I couldn’t have more respect for the player Sadio Mané is, so I wish him the best and the player he is he will play until 38 or 39 so Bayern got a really good player but we had him for six years so that’s fine.
“It’s completely normal that sometimes in relationships there are changes needed,” Klopp added. “In this case Sadio wanted it and we reacted and now we both try to make the best of it, so I’m really fine with it even if I will miss him because it’s how life is.”
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The Senegalese international has settled into life extremely comfortably in the Bundesliga, scoring four competitive goals, and one in a friendly, since his move from Anfield this summer in a deal worth an initial £28m.
The 30-year-old has bagged three league goals - including two in a recent 7-0 win over VFL Bochum - and one in the German Super Cup.
The former Southampton forward is certainly enjoying a more fruitful time than his ex-Reds teammates, who have drawn two and lost one of their opening three matches of the league season.
And with Darwin Nunez, on the face of things Mane’s replacement, serving the first of a three-match suspension last night- many Liverpool fans may wish for gone days of the AFCON winner leading the line.
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Liverpool will surely wake from their relative slumber and Mane will continue to excel, but it is clear to see who is doing better without the other.
Topics: Sadio Mane, Liverpool, Bayern Munich
Chris Stonadge