Jurgen Klopp will be aiming to win a second Champions League final of his Liverpool reign in Paris tomorrow night, with the final against Real Madrid set to feature many of the players that helped them to their first triumph in Madrid back in 2019.
It is likely that we could see up to nine of the same players that started the game against Spurs two years ago be named to start once again, with Gini Wijnaldum the only member of the first XI that is no longer at the club.
That group have certainly had quite the journey over the last few seasons, although how much longer it will remain intact remains to be seen. Mo Salah is currently at a deadlock in negotiations over a new contract, while Sadio Mane is also in a similar situation.
The Senegalese star has been heavily linked with summer move to Bayern Munich in recent days, with the German champions reportedly willing to shell out €50million for a player who only has 12 months remaining on his current deal.
Mane has been non-committal about his future when speaking in public thus far, although he hinted that things will become clearer after the game tomorrow night.
Jurgen Klopp unhappy with Sadio Mane to Bayern rumours
Jurgen Klopp was inevitably asked about the player's future ahead of the final, and while he said now was not the time to discuss the matter, the manager seemingly was not too pleased that rumours of one of his players joining Bayern Munich had cropped up at such a pivotal stage in their season.
🗣 "The Bayern Munich rumours, I couldn't care less for the moment."
Jurgen Klopp on the transfer links between Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich pic.twitter.com/yLiJ09ffhK— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 27, 2022
Sadio is in the shape of his life. It's a joy to watch him at the moment in training and games.
We ask him a lot, football has asked him a lot this season, with a lot of finals and these kinds of things. For sure, it's one of the most successful so far for him and for us.
The Bayern Munich rumours, I couldn't care less at the moment. We are all fully focused on this game, Sadio is fully focused on the game.
We know how important it is to him and how important it is to us. There are no concerns, it is completely normal.
It is not the first time in my career before massive games that Bayern Munich rumours were coming up. I don't know what I did or why that happens.
Klopp has had to deal with Bayern hunting after his players in the past, most notably during his time at Borussia Dortmund.
Ahead of the 2013 Champions League final meeting between the pair, the Bavarian club announced that they would be signing Dortmund's Mario Gotze at the end of that season. Bayern would go on to win the final. They also poached Robert Lewandowski on a free transfer the following year.
Klopp would be asked about Mane's future once again later in the press conference, going on to say that the winger will be key player for whatever team he lines out for next season.
🗣 "This is the wrong moment to speak about that. Wherever Sadio will play next he will be a big player."
Jurgen Klopp shuts down the question about Sadio Mane's future pic.twitter.com/n4u0Obxu3R— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 27, 2022
This is the wrong moment to speak about that, I said it before.
Wherever Sadio plays next season he will be a big player, definitely.
Liverpool fans will certainly be sweating on the future of a player who has proven increasingly important as this season has gone on, with a win in tomorrow's final likely to put Mane firmly in the conversation for the Ballon d'Or.
It will certainly be a pivotal few months ahead for Liverpool as they look to shape their squad for the seasons ahead.