‘There are always arrogant idiots’ – Mane ‘third gear’ transfer statement from Saunders receives stinging rebuke from Watzke

Hans-Joachim Watzke has hit back at "arrogant" claims regarding Sadio Mane's move from Liverpool to Bayern Munich, with the Borussia Dortmund CEO making pointed criticism of ex-Reds star Dean Saunders' comments on the switch.

The Senegal international has ended his stay in the Premier League to make a move to the Bundesliga champions, in a switch the latter has suggested will prove an easy task for him with little stakes.

Watzke has been left frustrated by the words however, suggesting he is an "idiot" and pointing to a lack of English success in Europe last term.

What has Watzke said about Saunders' comments?

"There are always some arrogant idiots like this one," Watzke told Bild on Saunders' comments.

"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!"

What was Watzke referring to?

Watzke's irritated comments came in the wake of former Reds man Saunders - an FA Cup winner in 1992 with the club - questioning why Mane would choose to skip out on the highly successful side he has helped forge since his Anfield arrival.

"I’m still baffled why he’s gone," Saunders had told talkSPORT. "Why would you leave Liverpool when everybody loves you, the manager loves you, your teammates love you?"

"You’re playing in the best front-three you’re ever going to play in, in your life. You’re never gonna go to a better team than he’s in right now.

“It’s not a challenge. He will get in his armchair, light a cigar up, he’ll play for Bayern in third gear and he’ll coast for two years and ruin the best two years of his life as a footballer."

Further reading

• 'Liverpool’s number one fan forever'
• Salah hails Mane as partnership ends: 'Thank you for the good times'
• A legend leaves Liverpool: Mane completes €41m Bayern move