Sadio Mane has revealed he turned down a move to Manchester United a year before joining Liverpool, admitting that he wasn’t persuaded by Louis van Gaal’s promise that he would play ahead of established stars like Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Angel Di Maria.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the Senegal international recalled discussions with Van Gaal in the summer of 2015 while he was still at Southampton.
Although United were keen to bring him to Old Trafford, Mane said the timing didn’t feel right, and he ultimately stayed put before completing a £36 million move to Liverpool the following year.
His switch to Anfield proved the right move, where he formed part of the core that delivered both the Champions League and Premier League for Jurgen Klopp.
Now 33 and playing in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Mane described how Van Gaal attempted to convince him there would be opportunities despite United’s crowded attack.
“Manchester United called me that time,” Mane said. “I was talking to Van Gaal.
“I was talking to Van Gaal that time. Rooney was there. And Di Maria was there. And … and [Memphis] Depay was there.
“When they failed to get me, they bought [Anthony] Martial.
“Van Gaal called me and he said, ‘Mane, how are you? What are you doing?’ He said, ‘I want you to come to Manchester United.’
“I said, ‘Really?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ I said, ‘OK. Now I’m talking to my agent.
“[Van Gaal said] ‘We’ll see what is the best, because I know you’re a good player and you can help the team, and we can help you also to become better players.’”
Mane explained that his main concern was simply where he would fit in the team.
“And then I said, ‘OK, so my question: you have Depay, you have Rooney, you have Di Maria, you have Van Persie, I think the same. ‘So where am I going to play?’ That was my question, because me, I want to play.
“He said, ‘I know your talent, you’re good. But if you do good training, good impression, you will play. But we have another player which is also good.’
“I was not convinced about his explanation. I talked to the coach, but he told me that I will play if I’m good; if not…
“But at the time, me, I was not ready, I can say. I was young. I still needed someone to help me more. And one or two more years to become what I want to be.
“Because I was still in Southampton; I was not consistent. And then we said, ‘OK, we’ll see.’”
He also revealed that Tottenham contacted him during the same period, and he found the idea of working under Mauricio Pochettino more appealing.
“I have a meeting with Tottenham. At the same time, Pochettino called him [my agent] and he said, ‘I want to have Sadio to come to Tottenham training ground.’”
“And then I go to Tottenham training ground one week after. I see the facility, I meet the coach, I talk to him and I was more convinced than the Man United project.
“Because Man U was too many… the problem was too many big players.”
