Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has urged Jurgen Klopp to forget about signing Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane.
Mane, 31, relished a great six-year spell at Anfield after arriving from Southampton for £34 million in 2016. He scored 120 goals and provided 48 assists in 269 matches in all competitions for them, winning six trophies in the process.
However, the 95-cap Senegal international has struggled to live up to expectations at Bayern since arriving from Anfield for £35 million last summer. He has scored just 12 goals and provided six assists in 38 matches this season. Earlier in April, journalist Florian Plettenberg asserted that the Bavarians are keen to offload Mane. He told Sky Sports:
“Bayern Munich will try to sell Sadio Mane in the summer. From a sporting perspective, Thomas Tuchel has no plans with Mane as he doesn’t fit his style. This is my information. The player is seen critically internally.”
Speaking to Neue Online Casino, Johnson insisted that Klopp should ignore a move for Mane this summer. He said:
“Jurgen Klopp should not look at Sadio Mane again. He is a fantastic player, but he would be coming back to a completely different team, the one that he left. He was great in his days at Liverpool, but it does not mean that he would be great for them now. I don’t think they should bring him back. For Newcastle though, it would be huge.”
Liverpool currently have Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo to deputize on the left flank for them.
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Alexis Mac Allister given classy Brighton send-off after Liverpool transfer
Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom has expressed his pride at seeing Alexis Mac Allister join Liverpool, saying the midfielder did “something special” by becoming the first Seagulls player to win the World Cup.
Mac Allister signed a five-year deal for the Reds on Thursday to become the first arrival of what is expected to be a major summer at Anfield. The fee has been undisclosed by both clubs but it is believed to be somewhere in the region of £35-45m.
Mac Allister arrives at Liverpool on the back of a historic campaign having helped Argentina win their first World Cup since 1986 in Qatar back in December before inspiring Brighton to Europa League qualification for the first time.
Having reportedly said their private goodbyes during an end-of-season trip to Las Vegas last week, Brighton owner Bloom has now sent a public one to Liverpool’s new No.10 on the Seagulls’ official website and manager Roberto De Zerbi was also fulsome in his praise of Mac Allister.
“We are incredibly proud of Alexis and we are sad to see him go,” said Bloom. “He did something very special, becoming the first Brighton & Hove Albion player to win the World Cup, and was a key player in our best-ever season.
“He will always be welcome here at Amex Stadium and in the city. On behalf of all Albion fans, I would like to thank Alexis for the many amazing memories and superb performances in a Brighton shirt and wish him well for the next chapter in his career.”
De Zerbi added: “I’m proud to have been Alexis’s coach. He is a very talented player. It has also been a privilege to work with a guy who has strong and traditional values, and I want to wish him good luck for the future.”
