Messi ‘demanded’ Mane signing

BERLIN — According to Sadio Mane’s PR agent, Lionel Messi once demanded that FC Barcelona sign the Senegal star from Liverpool.

Before the Argentine made the move to Paris SaintGermain ahead of the 2021/22 season, he was embroiled in lengthy contract negotiations with the Blaugrana.

It was during those discussions that Messi had requested that if the Catalan giants wanted to keep his services, they needed to sign the African forward, according to the now-Bayern Munich star’s PR agent Bacary Cisse.

As things turned out, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner ended up parting ways with the Spanish team, but his admiration for Mane has always been public knowledge, with the Argentine having voted for the 30-year-old to win The Best FIFA Men’s Player award in 2019.

In a recent interview, Cisse elaborated on his understanding of Messi’s desire to play with the ex-Reds attacker at the Camp Nou.

“Last year, it could have also happened with FC Barcelona,’ he told RMC Sport.

“It was Lionel Messi who imposed Sadio Mane in the deal when it was a question of him extending to Barca.

“He had given two names: Sadio Mane and an Argentinian central defender.”

Cisse also revealed that another major European club had shown interest in Mane before he made the decision to take his career to the Bundesliga.

“Yes, PSG did indeed ’attack’ Sadio,” he added. "Former PSG sporting director Leonardo had several contacts with the [Mane’s German agent.

“They saw each other, they discussed the ins and outs of a possible transfer of Sadio at PSG, but it ended there.

“Everyone knows that Leonardo was on an ejection seat — we had to wait.”