"One of Liverpool’s greatest ever players" - Jurgen Klopp on Sadio Mane leaving

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has said that having Sadio Mane at Anfield made all of our recent success "possible".

Klopp has reflected on Mane's Liverpool career and it's certainly good reading for the winger.

“It’s a big moment. There is no point in anyone trying to pretend otherwise," he told the club's official website.

“One of Liverpool’s greatest ever players is leaving and we must acknowledge how significant this is.

“He leaves with our gratitude and our love. He leaves with his status among the greats guaranteed. And, yes, he leaves in a moment where he is one of the best players in world football.

“But we must not dwell on what we now lose, instead celebrate what we were privileged to have.

“The goals he scored, the trophies he won; a legend, for sure, but also a modern-day Liverpool icon.

“Since he first stepped through the door, he made us better. If someone had told us in that moment what he would go on to contribute and achieve for this club, I’m not sure it would have been possible to comprehend in that moment. Not the scale of it at least. Sadio made it all possible."

Anfield Watch Verdict

When we signed the 24-year-old winger from Southampton for a fee of £35 million, no one thought that he'd turn out to be one of our best ever forwards

Mane scored 120 goals and registered 48 assists in 269 appearances for Liverpool's first-team

What Mane has done for the club is remarkable. He will always be remembered by the Anfield faithful.

The Senegalese forward was the first player who really bought into Klopp's 'heavy metal' style football and you can tell the German knows that himself.

He will not be easy to replace, but we knew this move was coming for a while now, so Liverpool's hierarchy has had time to process his departure and think about the future.

Perhaps Darwin Nunez, who is one of the club's latest signings, could replace Mane.