Sadio Mane claims he was ‘joking’ about comments on possible Liverpool exit

Joe Williams
Liverpool forward Sadio Mane hugs the League Cup

Sadio Mane insists he was “joking” about comments that he will leave Liverpool if that’s what everyone in Senegal “want” him to do.

There are widespread reports that the Senegal international has asked the Reds hierarchy to leave this summer in pursuit of a fresh challenge.

Bayern Munich seems the most likely destination for the Liverpool forward this summer with the Reds asking for around €50m for his services.


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Speaking on Friday, Mane suggested he would definitely be leaving Liverpool as that’s what his countrymen and women wanted him to do.

Mane said: “Like everyone else, I’m on social media and I see the comments. Isn’t it between 60 to 70% of Senegalese want me to leave Liverpool? I will do what they want.

“We will see soon! Don’t be in a hurry because we will see this together. The future will tell us.”

But when pushed on his comments, Mane claimed he was just joking, he told reporters: “I spoke yesterday while joking with a bit of humour and it was everywhere.

“I think we’ll stop there. Liverpool is a club I respect a lot. The fans adopted me since day one. Regarding the future, we’ll see.”

Some pundits are struggling to understand why Mane would want to leave Liverpool with Paul Merson absolutely baffled by the situation.

Merson wrote in his Daily Star column: “It seems clear Sadio Mane has his heart set on a move to Bayern Munich but I can’t for the life of me see why.

“The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence and there are no guarantees that he will be as successful in Germany as he has been with Liverpool.

“Since his arrival from Southampton six years ago Liverpool have played a way that suits his game and goals could dry up in a different set up and a different league.

“It is a brave move to make if he wants a fresh challenge and is backing himself to make a success of it.

“His relationship with Klopp and the club has been so good that the club will have known about this for a while and they will have been planning to recover and renew up front.

“There may still be a bit of wrangling to be done over the fee because at the £25million which was talked about last week it ain’t going to happen.

“Add another £10m on and, with just a year left on his deal, it might but I just don’t know why he wants to leave Liverpool in the first place.”