Rio Ferdinand has highlighted Sadio Mane's exit has coincided with Liverpool's dismal campaign.
Their misery was compiled on Sunday as their FA Cup defence came to an end against Brighton & Hove Albion. As it stands, they sit 10 points outside the Champions League places and are in the last-16 of the elite European competition.
Mane swapped Merseyside for Munich in the summer as Mohamed Salah extended his stay at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp's side have been ravaged by injury problems as Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino are sidelined.
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"Why didn't they just pay him the money to stay?" The former Manchester United defender questioned speaking on the FIVE Podcast as they pondered over the Reds recent demise.
"I think they let the wrong one go, they should've let Firmino go, I just don't understand how you let someone who is world-class at that moment in time, ideally who would've liked to have stayed if you gave the contract he was looking for or something similar to what Salah got.
"I just can't get my head around it, every Liverpool fan must be sat there thinking 'wow, how have we let this slip through our hands, a player of that calibre?'"
Liverpool are yet to win in the Premier League since the turn of the year and it appears they won't bolster the squad further in the January transfer window.
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