According to a recent report by The Daily Mirror, Liverpool speedster Sadio Mane is currently at the top of Real Madrid’s summer wishlist with Zinedine Zidane eager to lure the player to the Spanish capital. It is believed that Los Blancos are confident about their chances of landing the Senegalese winger as they reckon that an offer in the region of £130m to £140m will give the Reds plenty to think about in the off-season (via The Daily Mirror).
Mane’s Incredible Record For Both Club And Country
Mane has been one of the most consistent performers in Jurgen Klopp’s first-team over the past 18 months. He has enjoyed plenty of memorable occasions during his time at Merseyside, with the UEFA Champions League win at Madrid last season being the highlight of his playing career.
The Senegal international has continued to perform at a high level in this recently suspended Premier League campaign. He has scored 18 goals and provided 12 assists in 38 matches for the Merseyside outfit this term in all competitions. With so many important goals and assists to his name, Mane has become an invaluable member of Klopp’s squad.
The 27-year-old has averaged 2.3 shots, 1.6 key passes and 2.1 dribbles per 90 minutes of football across all competitions which explains why he has been so productive for the Reds this season (stats via whoscored). He has also earned 61 international caps for the Senegalese national side and has registered 16 goals for his country in the process. Mane will once again play an integral role for Senegal in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations which could be postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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Mane is one of the quickest wide players in European football and can use his pace and power to make some driving runs with the ball out on the flanks. He excels at interchanging passes with others around him and can create a goal-scoring opportunity on his own. Furthermore, the Senegalese forward has gradually transformed himself into a lethal finisher in the final third as evidenced by his tally of 18 goals so far this season.
How Will Mane Fit Into Zidane’s Plans At The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium?
A winger of Mane’s skillset will be a welcome addition to Zinedine Zidane’s first-team. He will not only add a lot of goals and creativity to the Madrid frontline but could also help them compete for multiple trophies next season. The Liverpool attacker has hardly missed any matches over the past couple of seasons which means that Zidane can depend on him a lot more than Eden Hazard, who has endured a frustrating and injury-ravaged spell at the Spanish capital since making a move from Chelsea last summer.
Mane is versatile enough to play in any position across Zidane’s frontline. He could also offer the French head coach the option to be more flexible with his tactical set-ups in the coming years. The Senegalese forward is good enough to form a productive striking partnership with Karim Benzema up top if Zidane chooses to play with two strikers for specific matches next season. All in all, Mane will be a perfect fit for the Spanish giants if they can convince him to make a switch away from Anfield this summer.