‘Nearly got him’: Spurs almost signed ‘unbelievably good’ player before Liverpool, it’s not Diaz - Journalist
Speaking on The View From The Lane Podcast, Jack Pitt-Brooke has been discussing some of Tottenham’s transfer near misses in recent years and Sadio Mane.
The journalist was asked a hypothetical question, if he could turn back the clock and resurrect a failed Tottenham transfer, who would they want to sign?
Spurs have, famously, missed out on some top talents over the years such as Paulo Dybala and Bruno Fernandes, but, interestingly, Pitt-Brooke said that one player Tottenham came very close to signing was Sadio Mane.
Spurs nearly got Mane
Pitt-Brooke shared how close Spurs came to getting Mane.
“Wilfried Zaha, they tried to sign him in 2016, they made a real lowball offer that annoyed Steve Parish. At that point Spurs needed one more really explosive final third player,” Pitt-Brooke said.
“If they signed Zaha I think he would’ve been fantastic. The other forward they looked at in 2016 and they nearly got him I think, was Sadio Mane who has obviously turned out to be an unbelievably good footballer.”
Sliding doors moment
This is a real sliding doors moment in Premier League history.
Mane would go on to be one of the single most important players in Liverpool’s all-conquering team in recent years, winning every trophy possible with the Reds, while Spurs failed to win any silverware during this period.
We can’t help but wonder if Spurs’ fortunes would’ve changed if they had Mane in the team. Just imagine a front three of Harry Kane, Mane and Heung-Min Son, they’d have been unstoppable.
Sadly, Tottenham didn’t manage to conclude this deal and Mane made himself a legend at Anfield instead.
