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What's the story?
Liverpool attacker, Sadio Mane, revealed that he almost joined Manchester United and explained why he rejected the Red Devils to sign for the Merseysiders.
In case you didn't know...
Mane joined Liverpool for £34 million from Southampton in the summer transfer window of 2016. The Senegalese international has been brilliant for the Reds since his move and has played 92 Premier League games for the club thus far, scoring 45 goals in the process.
The 27-year-old attacker scored 22 goals in the league during the 2018-19 season and shared the Premier League Golden Boot with his teammate, Mohamed Salah and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
He won the Liverpool Player of the Season accolade during the 2016-17 season and was also included in the Premier League Team of the Season on two different occasions.
The heart of the matter
Speaking in an interview, Mane said that he was very close to joining Manchester United in 2016. He said:
"I was really, really close because I even met up with them.
"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'"
He also believes that Jurgen Klopp signed him to stop him scoring against Liverpool.
"At that time, leaving Southampton, I saw many clubs, but I think Liverpool is the right club for me. I play against Liverpool, I play 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."
Eventually, he signed for Liverpool and has continued his good goalscoring form.
What's next?
Liverpool will play Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the UEFA Champions League later today.
