Salif Diao has questioned Jurgen Klopp and his role in Sadio Mane’s decision to quit Liverpool for Bayern Munich this summer.
The Reds have suffered a strange start to the season and just don’t quite look their usual selves.
You can point to many reasons for that.
Maybe Liverpool’s players are tired; they played so many games last season and Klopp’s approach is very intense.
Maybe missing so many players through injury is taking its toll on Liverpool – or maybe they’re really missing Sadio Mane…
Salif Diao has questioned Jurgen Klopp
One player certainly doesn’t make a team, but it definitely matters when you lose a world-class player.
Mane was simply vital to Liverpool and was one of the first names on Klopp’s teamsheet when he joined from Southampton back in 2016.
The Senegal star was really the first major capture of the Klopp era and really provided the pressing and intensity Liverpool were seeking.
Sadly, Mane decided to leave Liverpool this past summer as he headed towards the final year of his Liverpool deal.
The Reds were powerless as Mane made his move to Bayern Munich, leaving Anfield with 120 goals and 49 assists to his name.
Some believe that Liverpool’s dip in intensity this season is in part because of Mane’s exit.
Darwin Nunez is a project and hasn’t yet shown that he can really be the man to replace Mane’s impact in the Liverpool attack.
Mane’s exit continues to be a source of discussion and former Liverpool man Salif Diao has now had his say.
Diao – just like Mane – was a Senegal international star and ended up at Anfield, though Mane had much, much more success.
Diao has told the Liverpool Echo that Mane just wanted a change and didn’t feel the love he really needed during his time at Liverpool.
You may think that would mean him being in the shadow of Mohamed Salah, but Diao suggests Mane’s problem was with Klopp himself.
Diao feels that Mane just wasn’t happy under Klopp and that’s why he moved on – though there has been no other mention of any issues between the pair.
“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,” said Diao. “I’m not talking about the fans, for him I think it was more with the manager.”
“Things weren’t really going on as they should be so that’s why he decided to go for a new challenge. I think as a top player, every time you stay 4-5 years at a top club, sometimes it’s good to go for a new challenge,” he added.
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