Abdallah Sima has opened up on his admiration of Sadio Mane amid claims that he is a target for Premier League duo Arsenal and West Ham United, speaking to Wiw Sport.
When Mane was 19 years of age, he was just starting to make a name for himself in a Metz side plying their trade in the lower reaches of French football.
So while Sima has a long, long way to go if he wants to emulate the achievements of Liverpool’s number ten, the Senegalese striker certainly has a head-start on his esteemed compatriot.
He won’t even turn 20 until June but Sima is already blossoming into one of the hottest young strikers in European football.
The Slavia Prague talisman has produced a staggering 18 goals in 26 games during his breakthrough season at the reigning Czech champions.
That form has caught the eye of Arsenal and Juventus, according to Calciomercato, while Tomas Soucek claimed in late-2020 that West Ham were keeping close tabs on his former Slavia team-mate (Sport).
But will Sima be going head-to-head with his idol in the Premier League next season?
“I have more than one (inspiration). But if I have to say a name, I will say that of Sadio Mane. He is a reference for everyone,” the fresh-faced forward explains, before admitting that he never predicted that he would make such an impact in his first top-flight season.
“I didn’t expect such a start at all. But I must say that I was very well received and helped. Coach Jindrich Trpisovsky played an important role. He trusted me.
“I can’t say I’m a complex forward but I like running onto crosses and that’s why I score so many goals with both head and feet. I hope to continue to grow with this momentum to score a lot more goals.”
Sima might be a paid-up member of the Mane fanclub but, in what will be of particular interest to Arsenal fans, the youngster has been likened to another jet-heeled forward with a prolific goalscoring record from out wide – a certain Thierry Henry.
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