Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League leaders may face a Sadio Mane battle with La Liga giants Real Madrid reportedly making him their top summer target.
Sadio Mane will leave Liverpool and move to Real Madrid this summer. Well, that is the view of former Anfield favourite Momo Sissoko anyway, in quotes reported by Europa Calcio.
The Reds have been here before. In the space of five years between 2009 and 2014, one of Europe’s most iconic football clubs lost three star performers, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez, to Spain’s ‘big two’.
With the Mirror reporting that a Real Madrid side still suffering from a Cristiano Ronaldo-shaped void in their attack have made Mane summer target number one, Liverpool fans should prepare themselves for months of relentless speculation.
Mane, to his credit, has shown little interest in giving the rumours any credence so far but the Senegalese superstar would be forgiven for being a little tempted by the prospect of following in the footsteps of Alonso, Michael Owen and Steve McManaman – even if Liverpool are at the peak of their powers right now.
Sissoko, the Malian midfielder who spent three years on Merseyside before going on to represent Juventus and PSG, feels that a summer exit is a distinct possibility.
“(Mane) possesses the characteristics that Zidane wants, he values him very much,” says Sissoko, who believes Mane is far more likely to go than his fellow forward Mo Salah.
“I think Sadio Mané will go to Real Madrid.”
It must be said, however, that Liverpool are in a far stronger financial position now than they were when Barca and Real came calling for Suarez, Alonso and co.
Furthermore, Mane is under contract until 2023.
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