Iconic former Liverpool frontman Sadio Mane once snubbed Mohamed Salah when naming the best finisher he played with during his time at Anfield. The Senegalese star formed a ferocious front three alongside the Egyptian and Roberto Firmino that spearheaded the Reds to Champions League and Premier League glory during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.

It was known that Salah and Mane had a contentious relationship with one another, and some believe that was part of the reason the latter opted to join Bayern Munich in 2022. And after his Merseyside departure, Mane threw shade at the ‘Egyptian King’ by snubbing him as he named the greatest finisher he played alongside.

Mane Named Origi as the Best Finisher He Played With

The Belgian was often a super sub who popped up with some big goals

Speaking with 1teamsports, as per The Sun, instead of picking what many would’ve believed to be the obvious answer in Salah – who is Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer with 257 strikes – Mane instead revealed that Divock Origi was the best finisher he played alongside while at Liverpool. The Belgian was never a key player in Klopp’s starting XI, but played a major role as a rotational option.

The former Lille striker scored crucial goals in the famous comeback victory over Barcelona and also scored the second goal in the 2-0 Champions League final victory over Tottenham in 2019.

Interestingly enough, it is not just Mane who holds this opinion, as former manager Klopp also made the same claim when it was revealed that the striker would leave the club following the end of his contract.

What Happened to Origi After Leaving Liverpool

The forward has failed to recapture the same form

After moving to Italy with ambitions of becoming a key figure, Divock Origi found himself isolated at AC Milan, training privately rather than with teammates, until his contract was finally terminated in December 2025. At the time, he’d not played for the Italian club in 1055 days.

He hadn’t featured for the club since the 2022/23 season but did have a loan spell at Nottingham Forest in 2023/24, which did little to boost his standing. He likely only lasted in Milan for as long as he did thanks to favourable tax rules for foreign workers,

His limited impact in Italy—just two goals in 36 games—has meant few clubs have rished to pick him up on a free. Going into the summer of 2026, the 31-year-old remains yet to sign for a new club.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – accurate as of 03/06/2025.

With the 2025/26 season drawn to an end with Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final win, clubs will already be focusing on what they can achieve in Europe next term. After winning the Europa League, Aston Villa will compete in the top competition, while fellow English side Crystal Palace will also move up a tier thanks to their Europa Conference League triumph.

In that competition, a single goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta was enough to see the Eagles lift the trophy, beating Spanish side Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the final. However, drama has now hit the Conference League ahead of the 2026/27 season, with one club already being banned.

Indeed, Azerbaijani team PFK Turan Tovuz have immediately been kicked out of the competition, consequently releasing a strong statement as they addressed the UEFA sanction.

PFK Turan Tovuz Banned From Conference League

PFK Turan Tovuz have not competed in European competition since the 1994-95 campaign but looked set to take part in the 2026/27 Conference League – alongside the likes of Ajax, Brighton and Atalanta – having finished third in the Azerbaijan Premier League last season. However, this now looks set to change.

The club based in Tovuz have been barred from participating in the competition following a ruling by European football’s governing body, UEFA. The issue is said to relate to historical match-fixing, with UEFA Article 4.01(g) of the Conference League regulations stating that a club’s ineligibility may be based on “being directly and/or indirectly involved in activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level.”

The club have now claimed that the ban is directly related to a disciplinary matter from seven years ago, which resulted in the nation’s football federation (AFFA) banning seven players – Gojayev Sanan, Rustamov Misir, Baghirov Emin, Sadigov Ilkin, Mammadov Rufət, Taghiyev Eltay and Guluzadeh Shahin – from all football-related activities.

PFK Turan Tovuz Share Strong Statement as They Plan to Appeal

PFK Turan Tovuz shared a strong statement claiming that they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and intend to make ‘no changes’ to their preparation plans for the tournament next season.

They also claimed the ban is directly related to a disciplinary matter from seven years ago, which resulted in the nation’s football federation (AFFA) banning seven players – Gojayev Sanan, Rustamov Misir, Baghirov Emin, Sadigov Ilkin, Mammadov Rufət, Taghiyev Eltay and Guluzadeh Shahin – from all football-related activities.

In full, the statement from PFK Turan Tovuz read:

“In the 2025/2026 season, we finished the season in 3rd place, following all sporting principles, and earned the right to play in the Conference League, which we are entitled to. The UEFA Disciplinary Committee conducted an investigation into whether our club met the criteria. The decision of the AFFA Disciplinary Committee dated December 13, 2019.

“It should be noted that the AFFA Disciplinary Committee banned seven players from our team, who played in the I Division in the 2019-2020 season, from all football-related activities.

“We would also like to inform you that there are no changes to our preparation plans for the Conference League. This month, the team members will gather and go to Turkey for a training camp.”

Manchester United will be eager to hit the ground running in 2026/26 after defying expectations with a third-place finish in the 2025/26 Premier League. The Red Devils were the best of the rest behind Arsenal and Manchester City last season, but it is clear from early cup exits that their squad requires a boost if they are to mount a serious challenge on any front in the upcoming campaign.

With Senne Lammens doing an impressive job between the posts, goalkeeper is no longer a problem area, but the midfield and defence could certainly do with some improvement, especially if Man Utd wish to concede fewer than the 50 goals they shipped in the league last term.

The likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko joined last season and shared the goal-scoring load, but a little more incision in the final third would go a long way towards making Michael Carrick’s side a truly dangerous prospect.

Ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, GIVEMESPORT brings you every new signing and departure from Old Trafford.

New Man Utd Signings 2026/27

The Red Devils are believed to be pursuing a deal for Brazil international midfielder Ederson, with Atalanta expecting a fee of around £40 million for the services of their star player.

Cristian Orozco, the highly regarded Colombian teen who has been touted as ‘the next Casemiro, is set to join the club in July from Fortaleza.

Meanwhile, Moussa Diaby is rumoured to be a target for the club as they seek to enhance their attacking options.

Man Utd Departures 2026/27

The first official departure from Manchester United in the summer of 2026 was Rasmus Hojlund, who joins Napoli on a permanent deal. The Denmark international had been on loan with the Partenopei and their qualification for the Champions League triggered the completion of a full transfer worth £43 million.

Legendary Brazilian midfielder Casemiro left the club at the end of the season following the end of his contract, meaning he headed to the World Cup as part of Carlo Ancelotti’s Selecao with one eye on securing a new club after the tournament.

Tyrell Malacia also exited Old Trafford this summer, bringing an end to an injury-plagued four-year spell with the Red Devils.

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