"He had already made his mind up" - Liverpool star admits he tried to convince Sadio Mane to snub Bayern Munich transfer

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho has opened up about how he failed to persuade Sadio Mane not to seal a transfer away from Anfield in the ongoing transfer window.

Mane joined Bayern Munich last month in a three-year deal worth up to £35.1 million. In six seasons with the Reds, the Senegalese won the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, bagging 120 goals and 48 assists in 269 appearances across all competitions.

Speaking to The Athletic, Fabinho shed some light on his conversations with the Senegal international before his departure. He said:

"At the end of the season, I spoke a lot with Sadio. He told me about the situation that he could leave. I was always saying to him, 'Come on Sadio, stay here. You can win the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League right here, don't leave.' But I think he had already made his mind up. We had to respect that."

The former Monaco man continued:

"Sadio had a really good story in a Liverpool shirt. He played for six years here and during that time, he won everything you can win and he decided that he wanted a new challenge. That's okay. After the parade in Liverpool, everyone said goodbye to him. We knew there was a good chance he would be leaving."

He added:

"I always kept some hope that he would still stay but then it was all confirmed. Losing Sadio is a big loss. He was one of our best players but it’s something that we can’t change. We have to deal with it. Now, other players have to step up and take on greater responsibility."

To fill the void left by Mane, Liverpool have roped in striker Darwin Nunez from Benfica in a deal worth up to £85 million.

Liverpool interested to sign Martin Terrier

According to L'Equipe (via GFFN), Liverpool have identified Rennes forward Martin Terrier as a potential replacement for striker Roberto Firmino, who is in the final year of his current deal. The report also added that the Ligue 1 outfit are open to offers in the region of £34 million.

Terrier finished the 2021-22 season as the third-highest scorer in Ligue 1 with 21 goals. The 25-year-old, who has also been linked with West Ham United and Leeds United, also registered seven assists in 46 matches across all competitions last term.