Karim Benzema has told Al Ittihad to make £35m former Liverpool attacker his new strike partner for this season

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Liverpool fans have watched on in recent years as some of their most cherished players in recent history have departed.

The Reds built a truly brilliant team under Jurgen Klopp between 2015 and 2023. But over time, that squad has disintegrated.

Modern day legends such as Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have all left the club.

At one stage, Anfield was an unimaginable place without them. But football waits for no player, and there is now a new and exciting era under Arne Slot to get excited for.

Nevertheless, it’s always interesting to see how those who really made their name’s with Liverpool get on in life beyond Merseyside. And one of those fabled Reds heroes could be set for yet another move.

Al Ittihad pushing to sign Sadio Mane

What Klopp and his Liverpool squad achieved with the Reds will echo through the club’s history forever.

It wasn’t just that they won, it was the way they won. Always playing football the ‘right’ way; attacking and full of verve. They will never be forgotten around Anfield.

One part of the team that will surely be remembered more fondly than all the rest is Liverpool’s legendary three-man attack of Mane, Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

Together, they tore Europe apart for half-a-decade, relentlessly scoring goals and running defences into the ground.

READ MORE: Liverpool’s most expensive transfer sales of all time, including Sadio Mane

But Salah is now the only one left of the iconic triumvirate. Both Mane and Firmino now ply their trade in Saudi Arabia.

And having signed for Al Nassr with Cristiano Ronaldo in 2023, journalist Ben Jacobs reports that Mane is now a transfer target for rivals Al Ittihad, at the request of another Real Madrid legend.

“Al-Ittihad are pushing to sign Sadio Mane from Al-Nassr,” says Jacobs. “Discussions taking place over the structure. Loan and permanent possible.

“Deal not done yet, but Karim Benzema has told Ittihad he wants to play with Mane and believes his addition will help Ittihad challenge for the league.”

Sadio Mane regretting Liverpool move?

You do have to wonder whether Mane regrets the timing of his exit from Liverpool back in 2022.

At the time, Liverpool were keen to sign Mane to a new deal. He would likely have had a contract through to 2025, just like Salah, if he’d have wanted to stay.

In an alternate universe, the Senegal icon never completes his £35m move to Bayern Munich, instead staying on to enhance his legacy with the Reds.

Things quickly went bad for Mane in Germany and he now finds his career petering out in the Middle East.

Although it must be a thrill to play with legends like Ronaldo and Benzema, it is a far cry from Sadio’s glory days in red. At least we could see him link back up with Fabinho, though, which would be nice.