Dean Saunders called an "arrogant idiot" for comments on Sadio Mane transfer

Sadio Mane has been defended for choosing to leave Liverpool for Bayern Munich this summer after Dean Saunders accused the forward of "ruining the best two years of his life as a footballer".

The Senegal forward eyed a new challenge with just one year remaining on his Liverpool deal having won the Champions League, Premier League, EFL Cup and FA Cup during his time at Anfield.

Following his £35.1million move to Germany, former Liverpool striker Saunders lashed out at the 30-year-old, who has now been backed by an unlikely source in the form of Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.

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"There are always some arrogant idiots like this one," Watzke told Bild in response to the comments of the ex-Wales international.

"As a member of the board of Europe’s club association ECA, I know that German football still has a good reputation.

"The English didn't win any of the three European Cup titles in the past season!"

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Saunders, who used Georginio Wijnaldum and Philippe Coutinho as examples when explaining why players shouldn't leave Liverpool after hitting their stride, also said that a Bundesliga winners' medal would sit at the back of Mane's cabinet.

Wijnaldum failed to make an impact at PSG having walked away from Liverpool last summer, and missed out on two domestic trophies won by his former colleagues.

Coutinho has now joined Aston Villa on a permanent deal following a disastrous Barcelona switch in which he was loaned out twice.

Saunders had told talkSPORT: "Why, for the life of me, I still can’t get my head round why you’d want to leave Liverpool right now.

"You are playing the best football of your career, the best combination front three you’ll ever play in, to play for Bayern Munich.

"And you’ll coast for two years and ruin the best two years of his life as a footballer. Look at Wijnaldum, look at Coutinho."

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