SOCCER
Sadio Mané open to Barcelona or Real Madrid move
His current contract with the Premier League club expires in 2023 and Liverpool have yet to enter talks about renewing his deal.
Liverpool forward Sadio Mané is open to moving to La Liga. Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time on Sunday and Mané described it as the best day of his life. With less than 18 months remaining on his contract at Anfield, he would be willing to leave for Spain and has informed his agent of this decision, according to Goal.
Real Madrid and Barcelona have both been previously interested in the 29-year-old but the timing wasn't right. His current contract with the Premier League club expires in 2023 and Liverpool have yet to enter talks about renewing his deal. This summer would be the ideal time to sell their forward before he can leave on a free in 2023.
Since joining from Southampton in 2016, Mané has become a hugely instrumental figure under Jurgen Klopp, winning the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup with the Reds.
The Liverpool attacker added to his medal collection at the weekend when he helped Senegal lift the Africa Cup of Nations title in Cameroon. Mané scored the decisive penalty in the shootout victory against Egypt.
Liverpool add to forward line
Jurgen Klopp’s side signed Colombian forward Luis Díaz from Porto in January and with Diogo Jota also becoming a move pivotal player, Mané's spell on Merseyside could be coming to an end over the next 12 months.
The Senegalese star has already made history at Anfield and winning a league title elsewhere in Europe as well as another Champions League trophy would put him up there with the all-time African greats like Samuel Eto’o and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.
There have been no talks between the player and the club about a new deal and it comes with no surprise that a winner like Mané is already considering his next move.
Real Madrid and Barcelona interest
Mané has been tempted by Real Madrid in the past. In 2017, Zinedine Zidane was interested in bringing him to the Spanish capital, but the Frenchman decided to leave Los Blancos before making a move for the forward. In 2019 they tried again, but with no luck. Barcelona also pushed to bring him in a few years ago. Senior members in the dressing room backed his signing, but it was not possible due to financial reasons.