Sadio Mane is back at Melwood (Picture: Getty)
Sadio Mane is back at Melwood (Picture: Getty)

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Sadio Mane is close to returning to full training, but will not join the Liverpool squad on their pre-season tour of Asia.

Mane suffered a serious knee injury earlier in the year and needed surgery to correct the problem.

The Senegal international has been on the road to recovery and took part in a running exercise on Tuesday with the rest of the first-team.

Klopp is hopeful Mane will soon return to full strength, but revealed the winger will be left behind in Melwood when the rest of the squad jets off for Asia.

‘He is really, really good. He is close; he is closing on coming back to team training,’ Klopp told the club website.

(Picture: Getty)
(Picture: Getty)

‘In this moment, we think it will be when we are in Asia, so then it makes no sense to take him to Asia because he needs to then do the first steps in kind of team training.

‘We will see how we can do it; maybe [some of] the U23s will be here, so when he can start this [training] then we can use this opportunity, but we have to wait.

‘On Tuesday morning he was part of the running, so he is first-team training if you want and that looked really good.

Liverpool pre-season fixtures

Tranmere – July 12
Wigan – July 14
Crystal Palace – July 19 
West Brom/Leicester City – July 22
Hertha BSC – July 29 
Bayern Munich – Aug 1
Atletico Madrid/Napoli – Aug 2
Athletic Club – Aug 5

(Picture: Getty)
(Picture: Getty)

‘I think he is getting better, but it is how it is after a long time – you need to build a little bit of muscle again in the quad and thigh, which is important.

‘There is no risk with him because he is a naturally fit boy and in the moment when he can start to be a real part of the sessions, he will then immediately be fit again.

‘We have not all the time in the world, but we have time and we will use it.’

(Picture: Getty)
(Picture: Getty)

Liverpool missed Mane towards the end of the season as they struggled to break down sides without his pace and width in the side.

Mane also spent January away at the African Cup of Nations, meaning Klopp had to do without one of his most influential players for much of the season.

Liverpool have moved to add more pace to their squad with the signing of Roma winger, Mohamed Salah.

Klopp and his side fly out to Asia on Sunday with Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino all expected to travel.

Salah has still to obtain a work permit despite already completing a move to Liverpool.

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