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Mane’s Man Utd transfer agreement as agent addresses Liverpool reunion claims

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Mane’s Man Utd transfer agreement as agent addresses Liverpool reunion claims

Sadio Mane is a Liverpool legend, but the forward could have turned out for Manchester United after agreeing to join the Reds Devils before penning a contract at Anfield

Sadio Mane is currently playing for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr(Anadolu via Getty Images)

Manchester United fans may twitch when Sadio Mane is mentioned throughout the transfer window.

The Liverpool legend is another ‘what might have been’ for the Red Devils. Having wowed Premier League supporters with his storming displays for Southampton, Mane looked set for a move to Old Trafford in 2016.




United thought the deal was set in stone, but a phone call from Jurgen Klopp tore their transfer plans apart. Mane, who is now playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, instead joined Liverpool in a deal worth £36million.

Jose Mourinho would go on to sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic during a transfer window, which also saw them snap up Eric Bailly and Paul Pogba. Considering what Mane went on to do for Liverpool, United fans may still be spitting feathers over their failure to sign the Senegal international.

Mane spent six years at Anfield, winning the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Club World Cup. Yet, even he admitted his path was leading him to United before the Klopp roadblock.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mane said: “I have to say, I was really 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 (Jurgen) Klopp’s project. I still remember the first time I got the call from Klopp. He said, ‘We have a big project at Liverpool and I want you to be part of it’.

Klopp talked Mane out of a move to United(AFP via Getty Images)

“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 (Philippe) Coutinho is on the left!’ So I said, never mind, I will play on the right. I could see myself in all the positions.”

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