"Sadio told me and his agent told me" - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp explains how Mane communicated to him about leaving the Reds and joining Bayern Munich
Liverpool lost one of their key figures this summer as Sadio Mane ended his six-year stint at the club to join Bayern Munich. Reds manager Jurgen Klopp has praised the Senegalese forward over how he handled his departure.
Mane's transfer to Bayern indeed came out very smoothly. With no prolonged transfer saga and no drama, Liverpool were able to pocket £35 million from the deal. Jurgen Klopp has revealed that the player was very straightforward with the club.
Welcome to #FCBayern, Sadio Mané!
"Sadio told me and his agent told me that he was looking for a new challenge," the tactician told Viaplay Football.
"And if that happens early enough like it was in this case, and if that happens in the right way and the player and the agent are working, and the new club where they want to go is ready for negotiations, then it should be like it wisnow.
"Then you say 'thank you' with the biggest respect ever, I couldn't have more respect for Sadio, what a player he is and I wish him the best. And he will play for ages, he can play until 38 or 39 with his body, it's absolutely crazy. Bayern have got a really good player but we had him for six years, so that's fine."
Jurgen Klopp went further to hail how Sadio Mane's Bayern Munich switch was handled both swiftly and amicably, highlighting it as an example for the future.
"It shows these kind of transfers can work like this," the Liverpool boss continued. "We will want to use it in the future as an example, it's completely normal that sometimes in relationships there are changes needed.
"In this case, Sadio wanted it and we reacted and now we both try to make the best of it. I'm really fine with the situation. We will miss him from a sports point of view and as a person as well. But I am fine because that's how life is."
Sadio Mane's numbers for Liverpool
The Senegalese joined the Premier League giants from Southampton in a deal worth €40 million in the summer of 2016. During his six-year spell at Anfield, the attacker bagged 120 goals and 48 assists in 269 appearances across all competitions.
Sadio Mane also won multiple honors with the Reds, including the Champions League, the Premier League, and the FA Cup, among others. It remains to be seen what the future has in store for him at Bayern Munich.
Sadio Mané: "It was last year I took my decision to leave because I need a new challenge in my life. For me, it was the right time. I spoke with the coach (Klopp) one year ago and talked to him about my desire to leave." [@BBCSport] https://t.co/ewbZTKyHU8