Sadio Mane is currently experiencing his sixth consecutive season as a Liverpool player.
And it is a season that will be concluded by a Champions League final, which offers an insight into the club's trajectory over the years since landing the Senegalese international.
Manchester United wanted his services back in 2016, too, and speaking to Jamie Carragher, Mane told the Anfield hero that a deal was all but agreed with the Red Devils, but then Jurgen Klopp got involved.
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The German coach convinced the then Southampton striker that his future was on Merseyside and since, neither have looked back, with Mane evolving to become the template forward for the modern Liverpool.
The 30-year-old has a relatively unique profile. He isn't quite a winger, but he isn't quite a striker either. Regardless of his traditional tactical fit, he has always been a naturally dangerous player for opponents to manage.
Gerard Houllier recognised his offensive nature in the London 2012 Olympics, while conducting scouting work for Red Bull. “What I liked straight away was his speed and ability on the ball. It was fantastic for a boy of his age," said the late former Liverpool manager. "I had also seen him on French television."
Klopp also began tracking Mane's potential at the Olympics and he almost signed him while in charge of Borussia Dortmund. "Since I came here I have spoken to the staff a lot about him and have always felt he could be a very good signing for us," said the Reds boss after finally getting his man.
Mane was rapid - particularly over short distances - and all of his actions seemed to be goal-oriented. Direct and penetrative, he was what Liverpool lacked upon Klopp's appointment in October 2015.
The likes of Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino, Christian Benteke, Philippe Coutinho, Divock Origi and James Milner occupied the club's attacking spots at the time, with Daniel Sturridge also taking to the field when available.
Virtually none of those players posed a threat in behind, especially considering how the tempo and intensity of Sturridge's game had changed on the back of a number of injury issues.
Mane was the first to inject real speed into Klopp's attack, which has been reinforced over the years through the purchases of Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz.
He's arguably the most versatile of the offensive options at the club, having initially been deployed on the right of Liverpool's system to accommodate Coutinho on the opposite side.
Once the Brazilian departed and Salah signed, Mane moved to the left and prospered for the prime years of his career, before taking up a central role this season to accommodate Diaz's arrival.
He's two-footed, never injured and works harder than most of his peers on the defensive side of the game. Overall, Mane has the perfect skill set to represent Klopp's radical brand of football.
As a consequence of his valuable qualities, it is perhaps no surprise that Bayern Munich are toying with the prospect of signing him this summer.
With just 12 months left on his current contract, Mane is more realistically attainable than ever before, and the German champions seem to be interested in him.
“The answer I can give you now is I’m fully focused on Saturday's game," he said during the week when asked about transfer speculation. "That is the answer I must give before the final.”
His future remains unclear at present but regardless of whether he stays or not, Mane is the model Liverpool forward. The next batch of Reds attackers will be judged according to how they compare to him.
