Pundit Micah Richards has suggested Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has made a big transfer mistake allowing Sadio Mane to leave.
Speaking on an episode of Monday Night Club for BBC 5 Live Sport, the former Manchester City right-back claimed Darwin Nunez may not be ready to take on the Senegalese’s role at Anfield.
“Klopp who is usually so far ahead of the game in terms of his transfers has almost let a superstar go for a young player who is not exactly ready but is trying to make them learn on the job,” said Richards.
“Half the team still want to press, half the team want to drop off, the balance is not right.
“The back four – and people want to put the blame on Van Dijk – but Van Dijk has been playing this way for years and they have been successful within that. Matip, Gomez and Konate have come in but you just can’t get that consistency.
“Before I have always said this high line is going to catch them out and now other teams are saying we can run as much as Liverpool now, we can run in behind, so they don’t have as much appeal as they used to have.
“But it’s not time to panic because they have great players within that squad. They just need to buy the right fit for what Klopp wants to do but I’m confused in the system.”
Richards suggests Nunez isn’t ready for Mane’s role
We don’t necessarily agree with Richards here.
Since arriving on Merseyside, Nunez has shown raw talent throughout. As each week progresses, the 23-year-old continues to improve.
He is certainly more confident than when he first started, and he is now demonstrating why Liverpool spent £64m on signing him last summer.
Although Mane was one of the main players key to Jurgen Klopp’s success over the past few years, his last season at Anfield was somewhat underwhelming.
Rival fans are quick to say his departure is one of the biggest reasons Liverpool are struggling this season, but this actually isn’t the case.
Having dropped off in form, Mane did need replacing; and at 30 years old, last summer was the perfect time to do so.
Nunez has incredible potential, and he is already showing signs of becoming a world-class attacker – so we disagree that Klopp made a mistake here.
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