Sadio Mane's three-word reply to Prem transfer after Man Utd contract agreement

Daily Mirror

6 hours ago

Liverpool icon Sadio Mane once opened up about his near move to Manchester United and years later teased a return to the Premier League following interest from another club
Sadio Mane once said 'never say never' to the idea of joining Newcastle. The Liverpool legend, now playing for Al-Nassr, also admitted previously that he agreed a contract with Manchester United but opted for their Merseyside rivals instead.
Mane, now 33, became a legend at Anfield following his £34million move from Southampton in 2016, scoring 120 goals and providing 46 assists during his six-year stint.
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He played a crucial role in Jurgen Klopp's successful rebuild, helping the Reds win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.
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His departure to Bayern Munich for an initial £27m in 2022 was undoubtedly a loss for the English top flight. But the door opened for his return less than 12 months later.
The Senegalese icon's time in Germany was marred by an injury before the Qatar 2022 World Cup and a reported dressing room fight with team-mate Leroy Sane. It was therefore unsurprising that he was shown the exit door at the end of the season.
It was during that uncertain period that he met Martin Callanan, a Conservative life peer in the House of Lords who is originally from Newcastle. Callahan was attending an EITI International conference in Mane's native Senegal.
He encouraged Mane to join the Magpies, saying in a later tweet: 'I'm in Senegal speaking at ⁦the EITI⁩ conference. Honoured to meet ⁦Sadio Mane in the hotel. I couldn't resist asking him about coming to Newcastle next season. His enigmatic reply: 'Never say never!'"
It's unclear whether Mane was merely being courteous or if Newcastle were serious contenders to secure his signature, but he didn't end up at St James Park. Instead, he joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, where he's contributed to 62 goals in 93 matches.
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While many who have made similar moves to the Middle East have been accused of chasing money, that record suggests Mane's far from just going through the motions. And his response to Callahan implies a Premier League return may not be completely off the cards, unlike most who are spending the twilight years of their career on Saudi shores.
However, considering his age and the fact that there's still a year left on his contract, the likelihood of a move to Tyneside can probably be categorised in the "never" bracket now. While he might still view the switch as desirable, it's hard to imagine the feeling being mutual - though he is being rumoured with an exit from Al-Nassr this summer.
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Mane is no stranger to a sudden change in transfer plans. Before joining Liverpool, he was all set to head to Old Trafford until a phone call from Klopp turned his head.
Mane recalled in an interview with the Telegraph: "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 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.'"
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