After crucially missing out on Mane to Liverpool, Keita can be Tottenham’s answer

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Sadio Mane is a Senegal teammate of Tottenham target Keita Balde, and can be the London club’s answer.

Of all Tottenham’s near misses in the transfer market in recent seasons, Sadio Mane should be their biggest regret.

Spurs were keen on the Senegal ace in 2016, but a better financial offer from Liverpool helped sway the deal, The Mail reported earlier this year.

Mane went onto have a terrific season for Liverpool, scoring 13 goals and providing five assists. Two of these goals came in a 2-0 win over Spurs.

The winger Spurs did sign, for a third of the price, Georges-Kevin N’Koudou contributed no goals and no assists to Tottenham’s title challenge.

With Spurs finishing second, Mane was the difference between winning the league and falling short.

So it is encouraging that Tottenham are pushing ahead with a plan to sign Mane’s international teammate Keita Balde, who scored even more goals than Mane did last season.

Balde netted 16 times for Lazio, and The Mirror report Tottenham have stepped up their interest in the forward.

Like Mane, Balde plays on the wing but he is also capable of featuring as a striker, operating with similar versatility and effectiveness to Heung-Min Son.

This is just what Spurs need out of a potential forward, given Harry Kane’s clear status as number one striker.

Balde, 22, is three years younger than Liverpool winger Mane, and can quickly establish himself as a hero if he becomes Tottenham’s first signing of the summer.