Jürgen Klopp discusses almost signing Sadio Mane at Borussia Dortmund

Former Borussia Dortmund manager Jürgen Klopp recently spoke up about almost signing Sadio Mane while at his former club.

Jürgen Klopp has confirmed a well known rumor recently discussing that he had the chance to sign Liverpool star Sadio Mane back when he was the manager of Borussia Dortmund. It would have been an amazing signing for Borussia Dortmund had it happened. Adding Mane to Klopp’s arsenal when he was with Dortmund could have been quite the combo. Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be for Dortmund but Klopp was able to sign the striker down the road, bringing him to Liverpool from Southampton.

Mane has transformed into a superstar under Klopp at Liverpool so hearing this news it’s hard to not be disappointed Dortmund couldn’t make it work. It would have been around the time of the Gotze and Lewandowski departures which would have softened those blows. Klopp’s first impression wasn’t the best, which clearly impacted his decision in the end.

In a new documentary about Sadio Mane, Klopp said:

"“I remember my first encounter with Sadio. It was in Dortmund. There was a really young guy sitting there. His baseball cap was askew, the blond streak he still has today. Our team back then really wasn’t bad. I needed someone who could handle not being a starter at the very beginning, someone I could develop. I’d say I have a pretty good feeling for people, but was I wrong.”"

Ultimately, Klopp just didn’t think it was the right fit at the time. Knowing his team was still pretty strong back then he needed a player who could handle not being a starter. Klopp needed someone who could play a smaller role and he could develop at his own pace.

Mane was ready for more than that at the time, which turned into a mistake for Borussia Dortmund, who missed out on an exceptional player.