Manchester United were the club on Sadio Mane’s mind before the Senegal international made the transfer move to Liverpool.
The winger joined the Reds in 2016 for a transfer fee of £30 million ($37m) after two successful years in the Premier League with Southampton.
But before moving to Anfield, Mane had been subject to significant interest from United, with the now 27-year-old conceding he thought about a move to Old Trafford.
“We were thinking most about Manchester United,” Mane told The Times.
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“That was a tough time for me as I was on the bench so I was not thinking about anyone calling me, but I was pleased he [Jurgen Klopp] did and was not thinking I was a rapper.”
The ‘rapper’ comment made by Sadio Mane is referring to a recent interview by Liverpool manager Klopp, who suggested the player looked like a rapper when he signed for the club.
Mane has gone on to win the Champions League with Liverpool, and has scored an outstanding 77 goals in 161 matches across all competitions.
He also went on to win the Premier League’s golden boot last campaign, with his 22 goals putting him alongside team-mate Mohamed Salah and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Mane has spoken previously at how close he was to signing for Louis van Gaal’s Man Utd side during his final campaign with the Saints.
“I was really, really close because I even met up with them,” Mane told the Mirror last year
“So I was coming, I was there and I spoke with the boss who was there before [Van Gaal]. They made an offer, but in the same week, Klopp called me.
“He said: ‘I think it’s the right club. The right coach for you, and I think it’s better that you go to Liverpool’.
“For me I think it was the right time as well. I said, ‘I am going to Liverpool’.”
Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League table from when the campaign was halted due to coronavirus – 25 points clear of Man City and needing six points to claim the title.
