The casual observer would think that Sadio Mane's head is elsewhere judging by his attitude over the past weekend, so the big question is whether outside influences are praying on him ?
Sadio Mane was apparently poor in training last week and capped that by turning up late for a team meeting, leading many Saints fans to ponder the question whether his head is being turned by newspaper headlines or worse still by being tapped up by one or more clubs mentioned in the press.
One thing should be nipped in the bud here and that is this is a player wanting away because the club had changed its ambitions as was the excuse used by those in the exodus of the summer of 2014. Mane was signed then and so for him the club's strategy and ambition is no different than it was 18 months ago.
Indeed the fact that Mane is showing signs of temperament perhaps is proof that back in the summer of 2014, lack of ambition as a reason for leaving is not anything other than an excuse to ease the conscience of the player leaving.
Players leave football clubs for two things, money and for a bigger club and history shows that money is the main reason, so why should Sadio Mane be any different when Manchester United are linked with him, it pains me to say it but United can offer far more than a club the size of Saints, anyone who thinks that most modern players would prefer to stay at St Mary's and earn a third of what they could do at Old Trafford is living in cloud cuckoo land in the modern game.
Football now though is very underhand and it seems after his no show at training that Sadio Mane thinks that by having a poor attitude it will encourage Saints to let him go sooner than later.
Mane left Red Bull Salzburg under a cloud, any Saints fan who attended the friendly there last summer will tell you that, Mane was booed everytime he touched the ball by the whole ground, the Salzburg supporters clearly felt that he had showed them no loyalty.
Perhaps Mane will feel that he owes no loyalty towards Saints, after all it was only a year ago that he was being screamed at by Saints supporters and social media was full of those claiming that he was the worst signing since Ali Dia after his performance at Sheffield United in the Capital One Cup (Given the panic being spread on social media at the moment it seems some have learnt nothing from last season)
We will probably never know whether Mane missing the team meeting on Saturday was part of an orchestrated campaign aimed at getting him a move or whether it was nothing more than just forgetfulness.
Im a little cynical and would suggest that a year ago when he had yet to display his best form, that his memory would have been a little better, Ronald Koeman was right to bench him, we need the discipline in a squad as without that there is no team spirit.