Liverpool will look for a replacement for Sadio Mane should he depart the club this summer.
That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who detailed what he expects Liverpool’s reaction in the market to be for Caught Offside.
“Certainly, Liverpool will replace Sadio Mane should the deal with Bayern or any other club be completed,” he said.
“We may have to wait a bit longer to see how this pans out before learning more about who the Reds will target up front.”
The transfer expert also hinted that Mane leaving may alter how Liverpool use new signing Fabio Carvalho.
“As I’ve previously revealed, Fabio Carvalho is heading to LFC this summer and will not be loaned out, so it will be interesting to see how Mane’s departure could affect his role in Jurgen Klopp’s team.
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Liverpool won’t let Mane leave on the cheap
The big transfer news at Liverpool this week is of course Mane’s expected departure. It must be stressed that although the player has reportedly asked to leave, Liverpool will make sure he does so on their terms – namely for £42.5m.
Mane is still under contract until 2023, and The Reds will therefore, rightfully, look to get a fair price for him.
There have been reports that Bayern are expecting a cheap deal for the 30-year-old. But it sounds like Liverpool have no intention of letting that happen.
As a club who rely on what they make in order to fund transfer deals, Liverpool will need to put the funds towards a replacement.
Learning lessons from Coutinho
Barcelona learned the hard way with Philippe Coutinho that The Reds won’t let their top talent go the easy way. As in Mane’s case, Coutinho made it clear that he wanted to leave Anfield, but that only strengthened Liverpool’s resolve.
It’s a good job it did, as the funds from the sale allowed for the capture of Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson Becker.
There’s no chance that Liverpool will get anywhere near that kind of fee for Mane. If they can get enough to cover the cost of a new, younger, potential-laden signing though, it could end up being a good piece of business from Liverpool.
The longer it drags on, the longer Mane’s exit will loom over the summer. It’s important that whilst sticking to their guns, Liverpool don’t let this become a running saga during the window.