Liverpool have completed the £30million deal for Southampton’s Sadio Mane following his medical and agreement of personal terms.
Mane has signed a five year contract at Anfield and becomes the fourth addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad ahead of the new season. He will wear the number 19 jersey.
Klopp has been a long-term admirer of Mane, a player he once considered signing for Borussia Dortmund. The Liverpool manager scouted Mane during the London 2012 Olympics, although at that time he did not pursue a deal.
Those formalities went through without a hitch and Mane penned a five-year contract with the Reds and will wear the No 19 shirt.
Klopp has driven the capture of the 24-year-old after it became clear Mario Gotze was unobtainable this summer.
Mane becomes the club’s third most expensive signing of all time, behind Andy Carroll and Christian Benteke.
The fee could have flown beyond Carroll’s £35m from Newcastle after Southampton initially asked for £40m.
Klopp believes Mane has the pace, energy and aggression to give Liverpool’s attack a different dimension.
It had been the German’s desire to have Mane on board for the start of pre- season – Liverpool’s non European Championship players report for work on July 2 – and he could make his debut in the first pre-season game at Tranmere on July 8.
Southampton will have received £91.5million in transfer fees from Liverpool over the last three summers with Mane following Adam Lallana (£25m), Dejan Lovren (£20m), Nathaniel Clyne (£12.5m) and Rickie Lambert (£4m) from the south coast.
Mane made a lasting impression on Klopp when he scored twice and inspired a dramatic 3-2 win over Liverpool at St Mary’s on March 20.
Mane is Liverpool’s fourth signing of the summer after Joel Matip arrived from Schalke, Marko Grujic, joined in a £5m deal from Red Star Belgrade and goalkeeper Loris Karius landed from Mainz.
Further additions are expected before the end of the window, with bids submitted for the Udinese midfielder Piotr Zelinski and Leicester left back Ben Chilwell, while they continue to track Borussia Monchengladbach’s Mahmoud Dahoud.
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