Jurgen Klopp is widely regarded as one of the greatest Liverpool managers of all time, having transformed the Reds from a sleeping giant into a dominant force in both Europe and England during his nine-year tenure.
Klopp was synonymous with success during his highly decorated stint at Anfield, leading Liverpool to their first-ever Premier League title in 2019/20, the Champions League crown in 2018/19, and a host of other domestic and continental accolades.
Known for his exceptional recruitment and man-management, the German tactician turned rough gems into superstars and built one of the most iconic teams in Liverpool’s history, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk all playing key roles in his era of success.
However, not all of Klopp’s transfer decisions were universally praised at the time – and one, in particular, raised eyebrows for club legend Robbie Fowler, who expressed concern over Klopp's move to sell one of the greatest wingers Anfield has ever seen.
Robbie Fowler Praises Sadio Mane
‘He has been brilliant’
Sadio Mane
Fowler, speaking to BolaVIP in 2022, expressed concern when Liverpool sold Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich that summer and feared Klopp’s squad was at risk of losing its strength:
“I don’t want Liverpool to be in the same boat they’ve been in a few years ago when the squad wasn’t great.
“Don’t get me wrong, the first eleven now would be brilliant, but when you start getting rid of maybe three or four players, the squad is not as strong as it was.
“So, then you maybe go back to the level it was maybe a few years ago.
“And I don’t think Liverpool can afford to do that now, because they’ve worked so hard, and they did so well to get where they are.”
Mane was sold to Bayern for a fee of £35m and spent only 13 months in the Bavarian capital before joining Al-Nassr in the summer of 2023, where he is still playing today.
Fowler claimed the Senegalese forward will be remembered as one of Liverpool’s greats, having been an instrumental part of the club’s success under Klopp:
“There is no reason why he shouldn’t be up there (with other greats). He scored goals, he won trophies, and he has been a fan favorite.
“And when you think of Liverpool greats over the years, that is what they’ve done, they won trophies, they scored goals, and they had a great rapport with the fans.
“I find it odd to speak to any Liverpool fan and not have a good thing to say about Mane, I think he has been brilliant.”
Fowler was also once asked to compare Mane to other Liverpool greats and insisted the Senegalese ace was even better than his former teammate and Ballon d’Or winner Michael Owen:
“See this is a tester already, I love Sadio, I’ll go with Sadio.”
Mane spent a total of six seasons at Anfield after joining from Southampton in 2016 and became one of the greatest wingers in the club’s history, scoring 120 goals and providing 46 assists in 269 appearances.
He also helped Liverpool win a plethora of domestic and continental titles, including the 2019/20 Premier League, when he was also named in the PFA Team of the Year.
Statistics courtesy ofTransfermarkt. Correct as of 01 -0 8 -25.