A former Liverpool midfielder believes Jurgen Klopp was a big reason why Sadio Mane decided to leave Anfield during the off-season.
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After six years on Merseyside, during which he was able to capture every club title available, the Senegalese forward decided to call time on his tenure at Liverpool during the most recent transfer window.
With one year remaining on his contract with the Reds, Mane decided to move to Bayern Munich in a deal worth a reported €32 million (R555 million).
Now, former Liverpool and Lions of Teranga star Salif Diao has revealed that he thinks the main culprit for Mane's departure is Klopp, attributing a lack of love from the German tactician as a reason why the 2022 Ballon d'Or contender left.
"I think he has been here for a couple of years and I think at some point he thought he did not have the love that he needed really, here at Anfield," he told the Liverpool ECHO.
"I'm not talking about the fans, for him I think it was more with the manager."
The ex-defensive midfielder, who spent five years at the home of the 19-time English league champions, also believes the move to Bavaria was necessary for a player of Mane's calibre.
"Things weren't really going on as they should be so that's why he decided to go for a new challenge," Diao added.
"I think as a top player, every time you stay four-five years at a top club, sometimes it's good to go for a new challenge."
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While Mane started his Bayern career on a relatively good note, the record German champions have seen a recent downturn in form, seeing them languishing in an unfamiliar fifth position in the standings.
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