Liverpool arrange private jet to fly Sadio Mane back to face Chelsea after AFCON heartbreak

Sadio Mane is expected to make an immediate return to the Liverpool squad against Chelsea on Tuesday.


Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, have arranged for the swift return of their Senegal striker, whose country was eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations by Cameroon on Saturday.

Mane missed the critical penalty in the shoot-out in the quarter-final, which Senegal lost 5-4, and was distraught afterwards.

Now Liverpool want him back as they prepare for a critical Premier League meeting with the league leaders.

He will take a private jet arranged by Liverpool’s owners and the indications are he will join the squad and at least be on the bench.

Mane has been badly missed by Klopp since he left to join his country. Liverpool have won only once in his absence, knocked out of both the League Cup and FA Cup and falling off the pace in the Premier League.

While there will be sympathy for Mane, who was distraught after the game, there is also relief on Merseyside he will be back sooner than expected.

Manager Jurgen Klopp spoke frankly about the 24 year-old’s absence earlier in the tournament and admitted he had “mixed emotions” about Senegal’s progress.

”We knew about the Africa Cup of Nations before – it is the same for all teams,” says Klopp.

”We have a lot of respect for what they are doing there. It is not too cool being in the middle of our season.”