Sadio Mane has revealed just how close he came to joining Manchester United prior to his move to Liverpool.
The former Southampton forward is preparing for the Champions League final on Saturday night as his side travel to face Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid.
However, things could have ended up very differently for him and his club had he not been won over by the charm of Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2016.
The Senegalese forward was the subject of interest from United and had even met up with Louis van Gaal ahead of a move to Manchester from the South Coast.
Mane even admits he was 'so close' to making the switch to Old Trafford but that he had his mind changed at the last minute when he received a call from Klopp.
“Yes, I was really, really close because I even met up with them,” he told The Mirror.
“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 me, and I think it’s better that I go to Liverpool’. For me I think it was the right time as well. I said, “I am going to Liverpool.”
