"I just don't understand" - Ferdinand baffled by huge transfer error that has cost Liverpool this season

Rio Ferdinand believes that Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool should have sold a different first team star last summer instead of Sadio Mane.

Mane left Liverpool after six seasons, during which he scored 120 goals in 269 games, to join Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

The Senegal international started his time in Germany in promising fashion, netting six goals and providing three assists in his first 14 league appearances to help the Bavarians to top spot in the division.

But the 30-year-old was ruled out of the World Cup due to an injury suffered in November, and is yet to make his return to action. In his absence, Bayern have drawn all three of their league games since the Bundesliga's post-World Cup resumption.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have struggled this season, and occupy ninth position in the Premier League, 10 points off the top four places.

Luis Diaz, who occupied Mane's role on the left side of attack for the Reds in the first part of this season, has been injured since October, while Diogo Jota is also out of action.

Liverpool did strengthen in that area with the signing of Cody Gakpo, who is still adapting to life at Anfield.

And Ferdinand thinks that Jurgen Klopp and the Reds should have held on to Mane in the summer.

Ferdinand names Liverpool transfer error

The Manchester United legend believes that Liverpool and Klopp should have allowed Roberto Firmino to leave Anfield instead of Mane.

The Brazilian's contract expires in the summer, and although Firmino has expressed his intention to extend it, there has not yet been an agreement between club and player. He has scored nine goals in 20 games in all competitions this season, but has been injured since December.

Speaking on his YouTube podcast, Vibe with FIVE, Ferdinand said: "Why didn't they just pay [Mane] the money to stay?

"I think they let the wrong one go. They should have let Firmino go. I just don't understand how you let someone who is actually world-class at that moment in time, who ideally would have liked to have stayed if you gave the contract he was looking for, or something similar to what Salah got [leave].

"I just can't get my head around it. Every Liverpool fan must be sat there thinking, 'Wow, how have we let this slip through our hands, a player of that calibre?"