Sadio Mané is ready to play wherever Klopp needs him to.
Liverpool signed Sadio Mané from Southampton this summer for a fee of £34 million. The Senegal international brings pace, directness and goal threat to the team which was lacking hugely last season.
During pre-season Reds fans have been treated to an extended preview of the new signings and Mané impressed massively. His performance against Barcelona last week was a real indication of ambition and intent from Liverpool’s number 19.
When quizzed about what he considers to be his best position, Mane told Liverpoolfc.com: “I’m happy when I’m helping the team, not only on the right. I can also play on the left, or the number 10 or as a striker, but that doesn’t matter to me.
“I’m here for the team, I’ll be here for the team always. For me, where I play isn’t important. What’s important is the team. Hopefully we’re going to be successful.”
It’s very easy, especially after watching him for the last six weeks, to see how much Mané brings to Liverpool’s high pressing game and just how much we missed out on a truly pacy player last season.
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“If you want to win, you have to defend as a team and we press high. I think that’s the key to our success, we’ll keep doing it,” he added.
“If you defend as a team first, then it’s easy to attack. If you’re going forward it’s always easy! If you defend as a team, it’s easy to attack as a team.
“It’s clear for everyone, every striker, that you have to defend as well. I’m happy with that and I try to do it.”
Mané was on target 15 times in all competitions for his club last season and he has set his sights higher this season. When asked about his goal target for this season he responded simply but the message is clear all the same:
“To score more than 15 for my team,” he said.