Breaking News: Sadio Mané Is Back Again After…………………..read mor.
Sadio Mane may have made a significant impact at Liverpool, but he apparently didn’t impress everyone during his early days at Southampton.
The Senegalese forward, now 32, was part of one of the most effective attacking trios in recent Premier League history alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
He secured his dream transfer to Liverpool in the summer of 2016 after catching the eye at Southampton. After joining the Saints from Red Bull Salzburg, Mane scored 25 goals in 75 appearances before the Reds came calling.
However, despite proving to be a valuable signing for both Liverpool and Southampton, his former teammate Shane Long had his doubts about Mane. Long described Mane’s early performances as “horrendous,” although he later backtracked on that statement.
“When Sadio first joined the first team, he was horrendous,” Long told Ben Foster on the ‘Fozcast’. “Of course, he wasn’t actually horrendous—let me correct that. There were moments when you thought, ‘He’s got potential here.’ You could kick him and hurt yourself; he had that kind of strength.
“He could take on anyone but sometimes kicked the ball into Row Z trying to cross it, and he would run off the pitch. But then Ronald Koeman coached him and helped him improve, leading to a run of form that made you believe he could reach the very top.”
Mane went on to become one of the Premier League’s top forwards during his time at Anfield, scoring 120 goals in 259 games.
Shane Long, the former Southampton striker, was initially underwhelmed by Mane’s performances after his move to the south coast.
In the summer of 2022, Mane chose to leave Liverpool in search of a new challenge and subsequently signed with Bayern Munich. However, his time in Germany was disappointing, and he was later transferred to Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Despite his struggles since leaving, Mane’s legacy at Liverpool remains intact, with Jurgen Klopp regarding him as one of the club’s “greatest ever” players. Klopp stated, “He leaves with our gratitude and our love. His status among the greats is assured. Yes, he departs as one of the best players in world football.
“But we must not dwell on what we have lost; instead, we should celebrate what we were privileged to experience. The goals he scored, the trophies he won; he is a legend and a modern-day Liverpool icon.”
