One of Sadio Mane’s best friends, Desire Segbe Azankpo has got himself a contract at Bayern Munich despite having a torrid spell in English football.
Azankpo joined Oldham Athletics in 2019, and after scoring just 4 goals in 28 appearances, The Daily Mail labelled him as ‘one of Oldham’s worst strikers in memory’.
The 29-year-old has also represented Metz B, Le Puy, Senica and most recently Dunkerque, a side in French football’s third division.
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And now, he has got himself a contract at Bayern Munich’s reserve team after a successful trial that lasted more than two weeks. Many wondered if Bayern’s new star Mane had a hand in helping his friend get the move.
Mane and Azankpo have been incredibly close through the years, as explained by Ghanaian journalist, Saddick Adams who posted a thread on Twitter explaining the pair’s wonderful relationship.
Their friendship began when they first met at an academy in Senegal where they quickly became good friends.
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The former Liverpool man has previously said that he and Azankpo often shared the same room and shared everything including food and clothes.
Mane then joined Metz in France and was quickly joined by Azankpo, with the two sharing the same room again due to their friendship.
However, Azankpo got a terrible injury that slowed his progress, and Mane was starting to develop into a real talent, which got him a move to RB Salzburg.
Azankpo went on to play in Slovakia and Luxembourg after recovering from the injury. The pair finally separated but continued to keep in touch via FaceTime everyday.
The two friends reunited once again in 2019 when Mane was at Liverpool, Azankpo moved to Oldham, which is 45 minutes away from Merseyside. Mane asked his friend to stay with him at his house.
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When the pair faced each other during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Azankpo’s Benin lost 1-0 to Mane’s Senegal but waited until the end of the tournament before travelling back to the UK together.
Mane left Liverpool in the summer and Azankpo was with him for every step of the way. According to Goal.com, Azankpo drove his friend to training sessions and was pictured with Mane for his medical and unveiling.
When Mane was named African Footballer of the Year, he dedicated the award to Azankpo, who he described as a pillar in his life.
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As a result of their incredible friendship, Azankpo earned himself a trial with Bayern Munich II and has now reportedly been given a two year deal.
Topics: Sadio Mane, Bayern Munich
Marcus Chan