Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has revealed what he feels is the reason why Sadio Mane opted to leave Liverpool and join the German giants following his six-year stay on Merseyside.
The Senegal international made headlines back in May when news broke right before Liverpool's 2021/22 UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid that he would leave the Merseysiders in search of a new challenge the following season.
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At the time, Mane had a year left on his contract at Anfield, thus the news came as a shock to many, especially given the Reds' success that campaign, which saw them win both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, in addition to mounting a sensational Premier League title challenge against Manchester City, which saw Jurgen Klopp's side finish just one point behind the champions on the last matchday of the season.
In June, the 30-year-old went on to join the Bavarians on a three-year contract, in a deal worth up to a reported £35 million (R705 million).
Although it was believed a number of top clubs across Europe were keen on his signature, the reigning CAF African Footballer of the Year chose the Bundesliga powerhouses, a choice Salihamidzic has now seemingly explained.
"Somebody like Sadio looks at clubs and thinks, 'I've had six amazing years at Liverpool, what's next?'" the sporting director told The Times.
"He will choose his next move carefully. I know why he chose us, he said so: because he feels that there's so much quality and mentality, with him being a leader in that respect who fits right in.
"It was obvious that Lewy [Robert Lewandowski] was thinking about a move, but without having top replacements available, we wouldn't have agreed [to let him go].
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"But we had many options, we tried to make one happen, and that allowed us to let him go.
"The fact that it was Sadio, it couldn't have worked out any better for us."
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