Klopp's Revealing Apology to Liverpool Legend
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has made a surprising admission about his failed attempt to sign Sadio Mane for Borussia Dortmund before their successful partnership at Anfield. The revelation came directly from Mane himself during an appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
Mane disclosed that Klopp first spotted him while he was playing for Red Bull Salzburg in 2014, when the German manager was in charge of Dortmund. "I met Klopp. He wanted to bring me to Dortmund, but it didn't work out," the Senegalese forward revealed.
The situation took an interesting turn when Klopp joined Liverpool and immediately contacted Mane about a potential move to Merseyside. "Klopp called me. First of all, I say, 'Coach...' He said, 'How are you? It was my fault, you didn't come to Dortmund,'" Mane explained, detailing Klopp's unexpected apology for the earlier transfer breakdown.
How Klopp Convinced Mane to Choose Liverpool
The conversation didn't end with an apology. Klopp presented his vision for Liverpool, telling Mane they would "build the team no one wants to play against" and promising the forward regular game time as the team developed together.
Interestingly, Mane had been close to joining Tottenham Hotspur instead, having met with then-manager Mauricio Pochettino. "I say, 'OK, so make sure you agree with my agent, everything. I will come to Tottenham,'" Mane recalled. However, Klopp's personal intervention three days later changed everything, with Mane deciding "This is my Klopp. This is the right... this is what I want."
The partnership proved incredibly successful, with Mane scoring 120 goals and providing 46 assists in 269 appearances across all competitions. During his eight-year stint at Liverpool, he helped the club win the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and Champions League.
Chiesa's International Standoff with Italy Boss
In current Liverpool news, forward Federico Chiesa finds himself at the centre of a controversy with Italy national team manager Gennaro Gattuso. The 28-year-old hasn't represented his country since their European Championships round-of-16 exit against Switzerland in June 2024.
Despite Chiesa's improved form at Liverpool this season, where he's registered two goals and three assists in regular appearances, he has resisted call-ups for the September, October, and November international breaks.
Gattuso didn't hold back when questioned about Chiesa's absence, telling Sky Sports Italia: "You know it well. You know Chiesa's problem. The problem is not Gattuso or his staff; he has a problem, not us." The Italy manager confirmed he has consistently included Chiesa in his plans and maintained communication with the player.
Calls are growing for Chiesa's return to the national team, with Italian World Cup winner Francesco Graziani insisting the Azzurri need their talented forward. "We will qualify for the World Cup, but in this team, there are no champions," Graziani told Tuttosport, adding that "Chiesa absolutely needs to be recovered" to boost Italy's chances.
Liverpool's Current Premier League Challenges
The news comes as Liverpool prepare to face Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday, with the defending champions sitting eighth in the Premier League table. Arne Slot's side suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Manchester City before the international break, undermining earlier optimism from back-to-back victories against Aston Villa and Real Madrid that included clean sheets in both matches.
The team now faces pressure to recover points after a difficult period that saw their title defence falter with four consecutive Premier League losses before their recent mixed results.
