Sadio Mane has revealed he turned down a transfer to Manchester United a yr earlier than becoming a member of Liverpool, admitting that he wasn’t persuaded by Louis van Gaal’s promise that he would play forward of established stars like Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Angel Di Maria.
Talking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the Senegal worldwide recalled discussions with Van Gaal in the summertime of 2015 whereas he was nonetheless at Southampton.
Though United had been eager to deliver him to Previous Trafford, Mane mentioned the timing didn’t really feel proper, and he in the end stayed put earlier than finishing a £36 million transfer to Liverpool the next yr.
His change to Anfield proved the proper transfer, the place he shaped a part of the core that delivered each the Champions League and Premier League for Jurgen Klopp.
Now 33 and taking part in in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Mane described how Van Gaal tried to persuade him there can be alternatives regardless of United’s crowded assault.
“Manchester United known as me that point,” Mane mentioned. “I used to be speaking to Van Gaal.
“I used to be speaking to Van Gaal that point. Rooney was there. And Di Maria was there. And … and [Memphis] Depay was there.
“Once they did not get me, they purchased [Anthony] Martial.
“Van Gaal known as me and he mentioned, ‘Mane, how are you? What are you doing?’ He mentioned, ‘I need you to come back to Manchester United.’
“I mentioned, ‘Actually?’ He mentioned, ‘Yeah.’ I mentioned, ‘OK. Now I’m speaking to my agent.
“[Van Gaal said] ‘We’ll see what’s the finest, as a result of I do know you’re a superb participant and you’ll assist the group, and we might help you additionally to change into higher gamers.’”
Mane defined that his predominant concern was merely the place he would slot in the group.
“After which I mentioned, ‘OK, so my query: you’ve got Depay, you’ve got Rooney, you’ve got Di Maria, you’ve got Van Persie, I believe the identical. ‘So the place am I going to play?’ That was my query, as a result of me, I wish to play.
“He mentioned, ‘I do know your expertise, you’re good. However in case you do good coaching, good impression, you’ll play. However we’ve got one other participant which can be good.’
“I used to be not satisfied about his clarification. I talked to the coach, however he informed me that I’ll play if I’m good; if not…
“However on the time, me, I used to be not prepared, I can say. I used to be younger. I nonetheless wanted somebody to assist me extra. And one or two extra years to change into what I wish to be.
“As a result of I used to be nonetheless in Southampton; I used to be not constant. After which we mentioned, ‘OK, we’ll see.’”
He additionally revealed that Tottenham contacted him throughout the identical interval, and he discovered the concept of working below Mauricio Pochettino extra interesting.
“I’ve a gathering with Tottenham. On the similar time, Pochettino known as him [my agent] and he mentioned, ‘I wish to have Sadio to come back to Tottenham coaching floor.’”
“After which I’m going to Tottenham coaching floor one week after. I see the power, I meet the coach, I discuss to him and I used to be extra satisfied than the Man United undertaking.
“As a result of Man U was too many… the issue was too many large gamers.”
