Sadio Mane has explained why he opted to leave Liverpool to join Bayern Munich
The Reds agreed a deal to sell the 30-year-old to the Bundesliga giants in a deal worth £35m. It means that Mane’s time at Anfield comes to an end after his six-year stint on Merseyside.
On Tuesday, Mane flew to Munich to complete the final stages of his medical with the German club. There were then videos and photos circulating on social media of the Senegalese international wearing Bayern training gear.
Now an interview has emerged of Mane speaking about his move to Bayern, even though the deal is yet to be confirmed by either Liverpool or the Bundesliga club. Mane has admitted that once he heard about Bayern’s interest, he was determined to make the move happen.
"When my agent first told me about Bayern's interest, I was immediately excited,” Mane told BILD. “I saw myself there right away.
"It's one of the biggest clubs in the world and the team is always fighting for every title. So for me it was a very good idea and the right decision to come here.
"My agent told me that there were enquiries from other clubs. That's part of the business.
"But I got the feeling right away when Bayern presented their plan to me. I found myself in Bayern's plan more than anyone else."
Mane was also asked about the prospect of winning the Champions League with Bayern. Having reached three finals with Liverpool, winning one, Mane admits it’s too soon to be thinking seriously about the prospect of European glory with his new club.
"I don't want to say no," said Mane. "Every kid wants to win the Champions League, every football player in the world. I'm with a very, very competitive team now.
"But it's still a bit early to talk about the Champions League final, we haven't even played a game together yet. Nevertheless we will give everything to get into the final."