Premier League leaders Liverpool are facing a challenge hanging onto Real Madrid target Sadio Mane – could RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner replace him at Anfield?
Steve Nicol has warned Liverpool that selling Sadio Mane to Real Madrid would only represent good business if Timo Werner arrives from RB Leipzig as his replacement, speaking to ESPNFC on Youtube.
After netting the only goal of the game in Leipzig’s Champions League victory away at Tottenham Hotspur recently, one of the hottest strikers in European football admitted that he was flattered to be linked with a big-money move to Anfield (Independent).
Come the summer, then, it would perhaps be more of a surprise if Werner didn’t arrive at Liverpool than if he did. Sky reports that a £50 million transfer feels more like a case of when rather than if, with a 27-goal speed-machine setting his heart on playing under Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool legend Nicol feels that the arrival of Werner might just open the door for Mane to follow in the footsteps of Xabi Alonso, Michael Owen and Steve McManaman by swapping England’s north west for the Santiago Bernabau.
The Mirror reports that the £34 million Senegal superstar is Real Madrid’s top summer target.
“That’s only any good if you bring in Timo Werner,” Nicol said when asked about Mane’s potential departure. “Unfortunately there aren’t many [players like Werner] around. What if Werner wants to go elsewhere?
“The way it’s being talked about is if it’s done. ‘Timo Werner says he wants to go, so it’s done’.
“Guess what, there was a guy called Kylian Mbappe who told everyone he wanted to go to Real Madrid, he ended up at PSG.”
Nicol has a point. Then again, don’t expect the Kings of the transfer market to cash in on one of their much-vaunted front three without a replacement pretty much lined up.
That’s just not the way Liverpool do things these days.
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