It has been reported that forward Sadio Mané will undergo a medical at Liverpool today after the Merseyside club had a bid in excess of £30m accepted from Southampton.

It could be a fantastic signing for Jurgen Klopp as he reshapes his squad and gets them ready for a tilt at a top four finish next season, maybe they can even challenge for the Premier League title.

In Mané, Klopp has identified a proven Premier League match winner and one who will fit into his system.

Like so many modern day managers Jurgen likes players who can play in various positions, who have plenty of pace and also possess a direct approach that often has opposition defences playing on the back foot.

Last term for the Saints, the Senegal international bagged fifteen goals for his club (in all competitions) and six assists. In his last five appearances of the season he produced six goals and that also included a hat-trick against Manchester City!

Klopp saw Sadio’s class and attributes first hand as his two goals against Liverpool helped secure Southampton a 3-2 win over the Reds back in March. He also scored, provided an assist and won the man of the match award in his teams 3-1 away win against Chelsea last season.

So he’s certainly a player capable of stepping up and performing in the big games!

Looking at the current Liverpool side, I’d imagine that Mané would come in on the right wing and take Adam Lallana’s place in the first eleven. He certainly offers more than Lallana and is also more consistent.

Even though Sadio played more centrally for Southampton during the last campaign, he actually scored more when he started out on the right-wing.

Opposition sides will be slightly fearful to travel to Anfield and face the creative trio of Philippe Coutinho (left), Roberto Firmino (attacking centre) and Mané (right) playing behind either Divock Origi or Daniel Sturridge. No doubt the three behind the frontman will interchange at various points and cause markers an infinite amount of headaches.

Unlike the two Brazilians, Sadio Mané will also add extra strength to Liverpool’s attack.

At twenty-four years of age the Senegalese forward is only getting better after each season and hasn’t rushed his career in the hope of a gigantic move as soon as possible.

As a teenager he left school at fifteen in the hope of making it as a professional footballer and was soon spotted FC Metz. He’d spend one full season in Ligue 2 before moving to Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg in 2012, in a €4m deal.

In Austria he’d stay for two full seasons and score thirty-one league goals in sixty-three matches. He would also help ‘Die Roten Bullen’ to a league and cup double in 2014. That form and potential was enough to convince Southampton to spend over £10m on him in the summer of 2014.

It has proven to be money well spent and his flamboyant and dynamic performances have helped cement Southampton as a top half side in the Premier League with Man United chasing his signature last summer.

I honestly think this is a great move for Liverpool and is a big statement that things will be done properly under Jurgen Klopp.

They won’t be waiting around as other sides do their business first. Nor will they rush into panic buys that don’t fit into the manager’s tactical system.

Now all the German coach needs to do is sort out new recruits for the backline and that probably should start with a more defensive minded left-back that can challenge Alberto Moreno for that starting position.

Should that happen, then I can’t see why Liverpool can’t get back into the well sought after top four places!

 

 

 

Posted on June 27th, 2016 by scott
Filed under: Article