Kolo Toure thinks Liverpool are missing "big personality" Sadio Mane - but he doesn’t expect Jurgen Klopp to re-sign the Senegal international because of the two new attacking talents he's brought to the club in the past year.
Mane, 31, left Liverpool for Bayern Munich last summer after six seasons on Merseyside. The forward became a club icon during his time with the Reds, scoring 120 goals and helping them win six trophies - including the Premier League title and Champions League.
Liverpool fans have speculated about Mane re-joining the club, as his transfer hasn't gone to plan. Liverpool are seventh in the Premier League table, while Mane has scored just seven Bundesliga goals this season. Yet Toure can’t see a reunion happening.
Toure was part of Liverpool’s squad when Klopp was appointed in October 2015. "Jurgen is a top manager," Toure told Mirror Football on behalf of BT Sport. "He's been winning in Germany; he's been winning here. Every club will go through a transition moment.
"I think losing [Sadio] Mane was big for them... Mane, for me, was special for them because he could score goals and provide goals, but he also had a big personality. He's a player that when it was tough, he was able to make the difference.
"But I still believe they are looking for the new version [of Liverpool]. Jurgen is looking to refresh his team and look for the players who are going to fit well in the team. But I'm sure he will do that because he's a guy who's got great experience; great man-management.
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"I had a great time with him, and I believe he will find a way again to bring the team to fight for the title again."
Mane hit the headlines for the wrong reasons earlier this month when he was involved in an altercation with Leroy Sane. Bayern dropped and fined the Liverpool legend for his role in the spat, raising doubts over his long-term future.
Liverpool have signed Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez since last summer to fill the void left by Mane, but both players are yet to find their feet in the Premier League. Toure has urged Klopp to stick with the new recruits and give them time to settle in England.
Toure added: "I think he will stick with them. He needs to give them time to show they are capable to fit to the Liverpool team. As a player, you have to do your best to show you are capable of performing for them. If you don't, it's going to be the next one [player].
"Jurgen is a great manager; he's doing a great job. I think he's trying to find players who are going to have the chemistry to keep the team fighting for the title."
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