'I agreed terms with Man Utd - but snubbed them last minute to join Liverpool'

Sadio Mane was close to joining Manchester United before opting for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool – where he became a club icon.

Having carved out a promising early Premier League career with Southampton – in which he achieved the league’s fastest ever hat-trick during a 2015 clash against Aston Villa – the Senegalese forward was in demand and had suitors lining up for him in 2016.

Anfield would be his chosen destination, where he formed an incredible front three alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, and helped spearhead the charge for both a Champions League and Premier League title - among other trophies - under the now-departed Klopp.

Yet, things could have panned out very differently, as the 32-year-old has since revealed that he could have called Old Trafford home were it not for preferring the German to then-Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal.

“I was really, really close [to a move to Man Utd] because I even met up with them,” Mane stated in 2019. “So I was coming, I was there, and I spoke with the boss who was there before [Van Gaal].

“They made an offer, but in the same week, Klopp called me. He said: ‘I think it’s the right club. The right coach for you, and I think it’s better that you go to Liverpool’. For me I think it was the right time as well. I said, ‘I am going to Liverpool.’”

After lifting six major titles on Merseyside, Mane departed the Premier League in 2022 for a short stint in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich before moving to his current club, Al-Nassr, in Saudi Arabia.

Image: Getty Images) Getty Images)

Mane’s career could have looked very different on paper had he opted for United – who face up against Arne Slot's men on Sunday looking to claim a scalp and move towards mid-table – though he admitted upon leaving Liverpool that his time there was precious.

“Obviously, it is strange – really, really strange – to no longer be a Liverpool player after six years spent at Anfield," Mane told Liverpool's club website in 2022. "But of course, I had a great time, an unbelievable time, and since my first day, I really, really enjoyed training and playing at Anfield, especially in front of these amazing supporters.

“From the first day, I came to the club, I spoke to the boss when I was in Southampton, and I think at that time, we were not even in the Champions League.

“He called me, and I said, ‘For sure.’ I just decided in my heart that I am coming to Liverpool because that is where I see myself, and for me, it was the right time and the right club to achieve everything. So, I can say, of course, we won a lot, and I had a great, great time there.”

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