Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is reportedly ready to leave the club for Real Madrid or Barcelona in the summer transfer window if the opportunity should arise.
The Senegal international has been a star performer at Anfield for a number of years now, and has just tasted glory on the international stage with his country’s victory at this winter’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Now it seems Mane is ready to consider his Liverpool future if one of Spain’s big two show an interest in him this summer, according to Goal.
This certainly sounds like a worrying piece of transfer news for Liverpool fans, but it may be that the Reds already have a replacement in mind.
Firstly, Liverpool have already signed Luis Diaz, who joined the club from Porto this January, but it seems that Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka also continues to be in the Merseyside giants’ sights, according to ESPN.
Saka has shown himself to be one of the most exciting young talents in Europe in his time at the Emirates Stadium, and it’s easy to imagine that he might be tempted to make the step up in his career.
Arsenal are not the force they used to be, and Saka might quite reasonably think that LFC would offer him more opportunities to win silverware and really fulfil his potential.
If Mane is to leave, Saka could bring similar qualities to Jurgen Klopp’s side, and the rumoured interest in the England international perhaps suggests that plans are in place in case there are major departures at Anfield.