Sadio Mane is looking to become the highest paid player at Liverpool if he is to sign a new deal.
That’s according to 90min, who claim that Mane is looking for a contract between £250,000 and £300,000 per week from The Reds. Any deal of that kind would make him the clubs highest paid player.
90min claim that an offer will be given to Mane. However he has been told that he’ll have to wait until the end of the season for negotiations to begin.
Jurgen Klopp reportedly wants Mane to stay at Liverpool, but will take no part in the negotiations. The player is also happy to stay at the club, but it’s claimed that he will explore other options if Liverpool’s offers is ‘not what he wants.’
Crunch time for Mane
Several months ago a deal of the kind being discussed here would have seemed, frankly, ludicrous.
Mane had been underperforming for the best part of 18 months and looked to be a player in decline. Since winning the AFCON trophy with Senegal however, he has been reborn.
Free from the weight of carrying his nation on his back, Mane has been revitalised playing in a central role for Liverpool.
His goal last night against Villarreal was his 21st in all competitions for The Reds this season. For all of the furore over Diogo Jota’s goal-poaching ability, that draws the two level for the campaign.
Indeed, if we take penalties out of the equation, he’s only scored three less than Mohamed Salah.
On this kind of form, Liverpool would be foolish not to entertain a new deal for the 30-year-old, who is out of contract in 2023.
An overdue rise
Some may balk at the figures being mentioned, but it could also be claimed that a rise is well overdue for one of Liverpool’s most consistent players.
According to Sportac, Mane has been on a relatively low £100k-per-week for the last five years. When compared to the salaries of some of his teammates, that seems almost unbelievable.
The Senegal legend has been one of the key men in Klopp’s whole reign as Liverpool boss. With 118 goals in 264 games for The Reds, he has been as crucial as anyone to the success of recent years.
Whether or not FSG are willing to pay both Salah and Mane similar fees as they enter their 30’s remains to be seen. But as he once again proved last night, Liverpool’s number 10 still has so much to offer.
Hopefully this is an issue which can be sorted relatively quickly over the summer and Liverpool can continue to plan ahead with Mane in the squad.