Van Gaal called me and said he wanted me at Manchester United - Sadio Mane

Sadio Mane has opened up on why he rejected a move to Manchester United in 2015, a year before completing his switch to Liverpool, where he went on to become one of the Premier League’s most influential forwards.

Mane had caught the eye after an impressive debut season at Southampton, scoring 10 goals as the Saints finished seventh. His rise quickly attracted interest from top clubs, including United, who were looking for attacking reinforcements after missing out on Pedro. At the time, many questioned United’s interest in the young Senegal winger, who was still viewed as unproven at the highest level.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, Mane revealed that he held talks with then-United manager Louis van Gaal, who personally attempted to convince him to join. However, the presence of established stars such as Wayne Rooney, Angel Di Maria, Memphis Depay and Robin van Persie made him doubt whether he would receive consistent playing time.

“Van Gaal called me and said he wanted me at Manchester United,” Mane recalled. “But my question was simple: you have Depay, Rooney, Di Maria, Van Persie… where am I going to play? I wanted to play, not sit on the bench.”

Although Van Gaal assured him that hard work would earn him opportunities, Mane said he was “not convinced” by the explanation. He felt he still needed one or two more years of development and consistency before making such a move. He also revealed holding talks with Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham, a project he found more convincing than United’s, though he ultimately stayed at Southampton for another season.

A year later, Liverpool signed him for £36 million, and the rest became history as Mané won the Premier League, Champions League and finished second in the 2022 Ballon d’Or.

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