Sadio Mane’s exit from Liverpool shows the ruthlessness Newcastle United will need to adopt if the club is ever going to reach the top end of the Premier League.
The forward’s move to Bayern Munich - after yet another prolific campaign in the Premier League - is a sign of the cutthroat nature of building and re-building top-level squads. Mane hit 23 goals in 51 games in all competitions as Liverpool won the FA Cup and League Cup, only narrowingly missing out on the Premier League and Champions League, but the Merseyside club put little fight up to keep him at Anfield.
While Mane made it clear he was ready to leave Liverpool, with a year left on his contract, Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool board could have moved to persuade him to sign a new deal. Yet instead, Liverpool showed the ruthlessness that Eddie Howe and the Newcastle board will quickly have to adopt if the club is to fulfil its full potential.
LISTEN: LET'S TALK ABOUT JOELINTON - FROM FLOP TO HERO AT NEWCASTLE UNITED
Mane without question would have remained one of the league’s best players next season - after all, there is a reason why Bayern Munich has swooped to take him to Germany. At 31, the Senegalese forward has a good few years ahead of him to score more goals and win more trophies.
Yet just like Liverpool did with Gini Wijnaldum, who left on a free transfer after playing a crucial part of the Liverpool side that won the Premier League in 2020 and the Champions League back in 2019, the Reds have again allowed a star player to leave. They are not held to ransom over wages nor demands and instead their policy revolves around the evolution of the squad - sometimes at the sacrifice of players who would walk into most other Premier League squads.
The evolution when Wijnaldum left saw Fabinho and Thiago emerge while Darwin Nunez has arrived from Benfica as a near straight replacement for Mane. Liverpool’s approach is clinical and well thought out - with little room for sentiment.
In a sign of just how ruthless Liverpool are, Klopp upon Mane’s exit described the forward as one of the ‘best in world football’ but still he was allowed to leave.
Newcastle must apply a similar approach when it comes to rebuilding the squad. There are several players who are expected to leave but in truth, there could be many more to follow if United get their way in the transfer market.
Isaac Hayden has already departed but if Newcastle can make the right moves in the transfer window there could be a case put forward that the likes of Jonjo Shelvey or Jamaal Lascelles should also be moved on. Newcastle, of course, are well behind Liverpool and it’s fair to say that top teams would not have an interest in the majority of their players - other than perhaps Bruno Guimaraes or Kieran Trippier.
That makes the need to be ruthless even more important - to make the tough decisions that may even shock. We may soon see it with Martin Dubravka - not necessarily in the case of an exit but with Nick Pope close to arriving a big change could happen between the sticks. A fan favourite and a superb servant to the club moved sideways or out for the long-term growth of the side.
It’s an approach that Liverpool have got nailed down and plays a major part in any team being a success. For Newcastle, it's something the transfer bosses will have to adapt to but will play a crucial role in taking the club to the right end of the table.
'Bigger club' Newcastle the key attraction for Matt Targett after permanent Aston Villa departure
Newcastle transfer plan will end untouchable era as Howe gets what he wants after Bruno shake-up
The big Jamal Lewis question as pacy Newcastle United left-back set for pre-season chance under Howe
Newcastle's summer plan after Nick Pope transfer after Amanda Staveley's 'too high' admission
Sign up for our new 'Football Kit Obsessions' newsletter and win kits for you and your family
