LFC: New deal for Klopp’s Mane man

"It may be Black Friday, but Jurgen Klopp seems to have got the best deal by tying Sadio Mane down to a new long term contract at Anfield. The news comes before a testing few weeks with plenty of Liverpool tickets still available with some mouthwatering matches on the horizon."
Published by
23rd Nov 2018
Categories: Liverpool

It may be Black Friday, but Jurgen Klopp seems to have got the best deal by tying Sadio Mane down to a new long term contract at Anfield.

Mane is the latest player to put pen to paper on a new deal, following Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino by committing his future until 2023. Klopp's squad is well-placed to challenge for major honours and the Reds boss thinks that Mane signing a new deal is a signal of intent from the Merseyside club.

The news comes before a testing few weeks with plenty of Liverpool FC tickets available with some mouthwatering matches on the horizon.

Liverpool still have to take on PSG and Napoli in the Champions League with the small matter of a Merseyside derby after their trip to Paris. They then entertain Manchester United at the end of the week that brings Napoli to Anfield, so there are some high-intensity fixtures for Jürgen Klopp to worry about before he takes his team to the Etihad at New Year.

"I'm really pleased, really happy about the fact that he's signed this contract," Klopp said.

"It's a big signing. If a player's in a very good moment in his career and you can extend the contract that's more than the signing, that's a statement.

"It shows a bit of the change the club did in the last few years. I think a few years ago it constantly happened that players in a very good moment thought they had to leave the club to make the next step and obviously now our boys think the next step they can make here and that's good."

Mane has scored 40 goals in 89 games for Liverpool since moving from Southampton for £34m in the summer of 2016. This season, the forward has been an integral part of Klopp’s squad having started all but one league game, which he missed through injury, during Liverpool's unbeaten start to the Premier League season.

Mane told the club website: “I am very happy, very happy to extend my time at Liverpool. It is a great day for me and now I am looking forward to everything – to helping the team, to helping the club achieve our dreams and, especially, to win trophies.

“I’ve always said, when I knew I had a chance to come here I didn’t have to think twice. The right club in the right moment and with the right coach as well. I came here and was very happy.

“For me, I have made the best decision in my career.”

Liverpool will now turn their attention towards rewarding several other players in Klopp's squad, with Joe Gomez among those likely to be given a new deal.