Liverpool winger Sadio Mane is reportedly interested in a move to Barcelona. The Catalan club are in turmoil following their woeful season and the shock announcement made by Lionel Messi about his desire to leave the club.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Sadio Mane has been a long-time fan of Barcelona and is interested in moving to the La Liga side. The report further states that his relationship with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not the same as before. Mane is reportedly optimistic about moving to Barca, despite the club being in all kinds of trouble currently. The report further states that Mane will only be sold for around €120 million.
New Barca manager Ronald Koeman had signed Mane before when the two were in Southampton. His current contract with Liverpool expires in 2023.
Sadio Mane: Should Ronald Koeman sign him?
Barcelona have quite a few issues, behind the scenes as well as on the pitch. The Catalan giants need to overhaul their squad, which will need to be strengthened significantly if Messi leaves the club. The Barca attack could look completely different in the 2020-21 season as not only Messi, but striker Luis Suarez is also set to leave the club.
This leaves Koeman with few star names up front, with the most likely to lead the line being Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele, while Ansu Fati could be an option as well. Sadio Mane could be a sensational addition to the Barca front three and could form a deadly partnership with the likes of Griezmann and Dembele.
Sadio Mane is a player with supreme quality as a winger, who has the pace and dribbling ability to destroy defences and has shown that he is a player that can be a link player too. The right-footed winger predominantly plays on the left, cutting into the central areas to shoot, pass or cross into the box. The Senegalese international has vast experience and has been a key part of Liverpool’s success over the last few years under Jurgen Klopp.
Sadio Mane is just 28 years of age, entering his prime years in the game, and has at least 4 years remaining at the top of his game. €120 million seems like a fair price for someone who has won loads of trophies lately and been a key part of a club’s success.
He will bring a fresh pair of legs and a winning mentality and the absence of any baggage from his current club will boost the positivity the Barcelona dressing room desperately craves for. A new line of leadership could be established at the club, of which Mane could be a part of. And the challenge of excelling in Spain will also ensure that the player is not short of motivation and desire.