Liverpool are reportedly closing in on the transfer of Lyon attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir, which may have Real Madrid on alert for Sadio Mane as a result.
This report comes from Don Balon, who state Fekir is Liverpool’s priority target for the summer, and that the France international has already agreed personal terms with the Reds.
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The piece goes on to say that Liverpool should also not have too much trouble paying the £59million or so required to persuade Lyon to sell Fekir.
Don Balon add that Real Madrid could then step up interest in Mane, who has had a superb season at Anfield, but for whom Fekir might be a decent like-for-like replacement.
Still, one imagines Liverpool won’t want to lose the Senegal international too easily, with the 26-year-old proving a more reliable attacker than the likes of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino this season.
Mane has truly become Jurgen Klopp’s star man up front, and it’s little wonder his form seemingly has Real interested.
It will be interesting to see if Fekir’s rumoured arrival could affect LFC’s stance on Mane, but Don Balon make it clear the Spanish giants would still have to pay big for the former Southampton star.