Sadio Mane has opened up on his decision to leave Liverpool in 2022, as well as his subsequent move to Saudi Arabia 12 months later
Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is interviewed by Rio Ferdinand on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast
Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane opened up about his exit from the club
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Sadio Mane has revealed why he really decided to leave Liverpool in the summer of 2022. The Senegal international had a year left on his Reds contract when he decided to seek pastures new after six years at Anfield.
The forward ended up signing for Bayern Munich in a deal worth up to £35m, though the full add-ons were never activated, with his time in Germany ultimately only lasting one season.
The 33-year-old won every major honour during his time with Liverpool as he established himself as a Reds legend, returning 120 goals and 38 assists from 269 appearances.
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However, it was repeatedly suggested that he shared an uneasy relationship with Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah, with the Reds going on to make the Egyptian the best-paid player in the club’s history when tying him down to a new contract the same summer that Mane moved on.
The Senegalese ultimately played down suggestions of a feud with Salah when appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
And he explained why he really wanted to leave Liverpool in the same interview, admitting that he wanted to leave his comfort zone after six trophy-laden years at Anfield.
“I think I've been in Liverpool six, almost seven years,” he said. “Six years, so, you know, I come from far and all my life has been a challenge.
“And of course when I came to Liverpool, Liverpool wasn’t even in the Champions League, you know how it is. And I came with all the other players, coaches, staff, and we made this team big. We won almost everything.
“Liverpool was like home. It was my comfort zone. Let's try to try something (else) because I have almost won everything here.
“So my challenge is not because… of course some things can happen or blah blah, but for me that was not really important.
“The motivation for me to go somewhere, okay to see… to leave my comfort zone and to do something else in the other part. So that was my reason why I say, ‘Okay let's try. Why not?’”
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Mane admitted he had briefly considered moving to a rival Premier League side, but aware that few options would be better than Liverpool, he instead opted to make the switch to Bayern Munich.
“It was maybe we think about a few clubs in the Premier League but performing better than Liverpool, so maybe we go out (of the Premier League),” he explained. “And then Bayern was there, and was really really pushing.
“Pushing, pushing, pushing so I say, ‘Okay let's try there.’ You know in life, always, if you go elsewhere, you will always have something which you learn.”
Mane would ultimately only spend one season with Bayern before moving to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr after falling out of favour in Germany.
The forward admits he might not be playing in Saudi Arabia had it not been for his move to Bayern in the first place. But despite offers to stay in Europe, he revealed why he ultimately chose to make the move to Al-Nassr.
“I think without going to Bayern Munich, maybe I would not be here,” he said. “I was in Bayern and that was the time Saudi was trying to bring in new players in their league.
“They want to… they actually have a project to bring the best players in the league. My agent called me and he said, ‘Listen, we have offers from Saudis and Europe also.’
“I say, ‘Okay, let’s see which is the best and which is interesting. If you think Saudi or other club, yeah, no problem.’
“Just sit with my advisor, my agent, my family. We’ll sit at the table and when Saudis come, Al-Nassr offer, ‘We want to make the biggest and strongest league in the world. We’ll bring many players and we want to host World Cups.’
“They tell all the stories and they wanted me to part of it. And I say, ‘Wow, this is good and interesting!’ So we sit at the table and then I come here.”
Listen to the fullRio Meets Sadio Mané interviewon Apple Podcasts and Spotify.