All good things must come to an end. So it comes to pass for Sadio Mane and his trophy-laden career at Liverpool. News broke this week that Liverpool has accepted Bayern Munich’s third bid for the Senegalese sensation. After giving impeccable service to the Merseyside club, the brass at Anfield granted Mane’s wish to explore new opportunities. The Reds drove a hard bargain though, selling Mane to the German giants for £35 million.
Bayern and Mane were making eyes at each other immediately following the Champions League final. With Sadio Mane’s contract expiring in just twelve months, it seemed Liverpool didn’t have a leg to stand on. That certainly wasn’t the case. Liverpool rejected Bayern’s opening two bids out of hand.
Bayern sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, had to travel to England to seal the deal. In the end, the price represented a net zero loss for the Reds, whilst simultaneously being a steal for Bayern Munich.
That Liverpool got a full return on the £35 million is yet another brilliant move from their recruitment team. When he arrived at Liverpool, at the same price, he was a raw attacking talent who held the record for the fastest Premier League hat-trick.
He leaves the club with almost legendary status, having won every trophy on offer and being in the conversation with the best player on the planet at the moment.
With all those accomplishments in mind, let’s look at Sadio Mane’s Liverpool career. Let’s celebrate the end of an era for one of the best attacking players to pull on a Liverpool shirt in the Premier League.
SADIO MANE LIVERPOOL CAREER
2016/17 – Making an Immediate Impact
Sadio Mane arrived at Anfield for £35 million from Southampton. Unbeknownst to most of us, he would be the first of many pieces of Liverpool transfer magic. He was well regarded, but certainly wasn’t looked at as a player that could transform Liverpool’s fortunes.
He made an immediate impact in the league with a goal on debut against Arsenal. It was a mazy run from the right wing that sparked iconic celebrations at the Emirates Stadium. It would be his first of many in that initial season.
Mane would miss over ten games because of AFCON and a shoulder injury, but he would still manage nineteen score involvements to help Liverpool return to the Champions League.
STATS (League in brackets)
Appearances 29 [27]
Goals 13 [13]
Assists 8 [6]
2017/18 – Switching to the Left
We will always remember the 2017/18 season at Anfield for the arrival of Mohamed Salah. The Egyptians signing saw Sadio Mane switch flanks. The purchase of Salah and Mane’s repositioning would herald the dawn of the front three that would deliver many trophies for the Merseyside club.
In the Premier League, the Senegalese started like a house on fire. He scored in his first three EPL appearances. His fourth appearance would see him receive a red card and a two-match suspension for a foul on Manchester City goalie Ederson. He would score ten league goals and lay on seven assists for his teammates as Liverpool finished in fourth place for a second season straight.
It would be in his debut Champions League campaign where we would see the best of Sadio Mane. He would announce himself as one of the most lethal attackers on the planet. Mane would score ten goals, including one in the final as Liverpool fell to Real Madrid 3-1 in the final.
Appearances 44 [29]
Goals 20 [10]
Assists 9 [7]
2018/19 – European Champion
I could make the argument that the 2018/19 season was the one where Sadio Mane officially arrived as one of the best players in the world.
After the heartbreak of losing the Champions League final, Liverpool (and Mane) went on one of the most incredible runs in Premier League history. Of course, Sadio Mane would be at the forefront of it all, along with Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino. The Reds would lose one game all season and accumulate a massive 97 points in the league. Unfortunately, it was not enough to end Liverpool’s league title drought. Manchester City would pip them to the title by one point. Mane would hit form in the second half of the season and would share the Golden Ball with his Liverpool teammate, Salah.
On top of that league performance, Sadio Mane and the Reds would make a second consecutive Champions League final. Mane would appear in every match as Liverpool lifted the Champions League trophy for the sixth time.
It was his first major honor as a player, the first of many more to come.
Appearances 50 [36]
Goals 26 [22]
Assists 5 [2]
2019/20 – Becoming A Liverpool Legend
The 2019/20 season saw Sadio Mane and his Liverpool teammates become etched in history at Anfield forever. The 19/20 Liverpool side broke the club’s 30-year wait for a league title. They did it in incredible fashion. Liverpool went undefeated in their first 27 league fixtures. By the time they lost to Watford, the title was a formality. The Reds would drop just three matches all season on their way to an incredible haul of 99 points. It took some of the gloss off of their triumph that COVID-19 stopped the procession, but play came back and Liverpool won the league.
Sadio Mane had another glittering season. He scored a boatload of goals in the league again. He even scored two goals in the UEFA Supercup victory over Chelsea. Mane would also be a part of the first ever Liverpool team to win the Club World Cup as well.
With the Champions League final not yet played, Sadio Mane was part of a Liverpool side that was Champion of everything in 2020.
Appearances 47 [35]
Goals 22 [18]
Assists 12 [9]
2020/21- Losing His Way
It wasn’t just Sadio Mane who lost his way in the 2020/21 season. After losing four of their first team center backs to long-term injuries, the side had a huge dip. The Senegalese would remain ever-present, but could not hit the heights of previous campaigns. The man himself was very aware of this. “I was so disappointed with last season, and passionately so, as I thought I could have done more.” the left winger said to the media. “I might have been scoring between 18, 22 goals a season, then on that occasion it wasn’t the case, so, of course, I would be disappointed,” he continued.
Mane would score two goals against Crystal Palace on the last day of the season. That would secure third place for Liverpool. Third place was an incredible finish for the Reds.
They were given no hope after their form had hit a brick wall at the turn of the year.
Appearances 48 [35]
Goals 16 [11]
Assists 9 [8]
2021/22 – The Last Dance
A lot of experts had written off Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. Those same experts had written off Sadio Mane as well. Both would prove the doubters wrong with incredible seasons.
Liverpool would finish the season with 93 points. Once again, a solitary point off of Manchester City. Liverpool would drop only two games all season in the league and just another two in cup competition. The Reds would lose to Real Madrid in the Champions League final again too, but would pick up a domestic cup double in another incredible season.
Sadio Mane would have a slow start to the campaign. Up to the turn of the year, he would be the supporting act to Mohamed Salah. Everything changed at the turn of the year.
Sadio Mane would lead his nation to glory at AFCON, and return to Liverpool like a man possessed. Whilst Mo Salah’s form dropped after returning from AFCON, Mane took his game to another level. Mane started playing through the middle of the attack for the Reds and would have a remarkable back half of the season. He didn’t finish his Liverpool career with the much talked about quadruple, or even a 2nd Champions League trophy.
He completed the set of every available trophy available to a Liverpool player, however.
Appearances 51 [34]
Goals 23 [16]
Assists 5 [4]
TOTAL LIVERPOOL STATS
Appearances 269
Goals 120
Assists 48
MY TWO CENTS
As a Liverpool fan, I am devastated to see Sadio Mane leave the club. But, as I said at the beginning of this article, all good things must come to an end. It was a privilege to see the Senegalese superstar strut his stuff in a Liverpool kit. I, and many other of the Liverpool supporter base, wish Mane all the best as he begins his new adventure in Munich.
Until he comes up against Liverpool
Stuart Kavanagh is a sports journalist from Melbourne, Australia. Along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, he is the co-host of the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast. Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.