New Borussia Dortmund striker Karim Adeyemi has claimed that Liverpool’s Sadio Mane is better playing out wide than through the middle.
Adeyemi made the claim whilst speaking via Sky Germany transcribed by journalist Patrick Berger on Twitter.
Seemingly asked about Mane’s impending move to Bayern Munich, Adeyemi praised the Liverpool attacker.
“For me, he is one of the best wingers in the world,” said the 20-year-old. “I prefer to see him on the outside than in the centre. He would be an asset to the Bundesliga. Unfortunately with the wrong club!”
Adeyemi, who had been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool himself, is due to officially join Dortmund in July.
Mane through the middle
Judging off the latter part of the season, Jurgen Klopp disagrees with the young striker. After Luis Diaz’s January arrival at Liverpool, Mane has played almost exclusively through the middle.
It’s easy to see why as well. Since January, Mane has been on fire playing centrally for The Reds. He scored 13 goals in 25 games as Klopp’s go-to man up-top.
Of course, it was on the wing that the 30-year-old made his name at Liverpool. But such is his versatility, that he now looks at home as central striker too.
Moving on from a legend
What Klopp saw as Mane’s role will play an important part in the process of choosing his successor, should he leave.
Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Liverpool will look to replace the Senegal legend with a ‘proper’ striker. This would suggest Liverpool had planned to move forward with him through the middle.
A lot of that was definitely down to Diaz’s impact on the left. But such is Mane’s quality that he was able to force himself into the team in a new position. And Liverpool must now replace him there.
Mane’s future is still not confirmed to be away from Merseyside. His desire to leave is now out in the open though, and The Reds must move quickly and decisively to both move him on and then replace him.
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