Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has stepped up on his campaign to beef up the Los Blancos strike force and the latest talent he wants to bring to La Liga is Liverpool's Sadio Mane. Reports said Anfield could make the deal work but with a £150 million price tag on the Senegalese.
Mane's existing contract with the Reds will see him play for the Merseyside team until 2023 and his salary of £150,000 per week shouldn't be an issue with the side of Zidane. It is believed that if Real pursues enough, Jurgen Klopp could greenlight the deal and look for a replacement.
The Daily Mail said talks are now underway between the Spanish giants and Mane. Real is said to be impressed by how the Senegal native has evolved since switching from Southampton in 2016. The 28-year-old has so far scored 77 goals in 161 appearances for the Reds.
But more importantly, he was an important figure that powered Liverpool to win the Champions League title last year. Mane's performance in the last season earned him a nomination in the Ballon d'Or award in December that Lionel Messi won.
And partly because of Mane too, Liverpool is lined up to win the club's first Premier League title when the football season in Europe resumes.
While Klopp is believed unwilling to lose his prized player to Real, the German boss is thought to be prepared should Mane makes the switch this summer. The Sun said now on the radar of the Reds manager is Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe, who is also a transfer target of Zidane.
The report, however, contradicts the earlier pronouncements made by Klopp. Last year. Klopp admitted that having Mbappe on his side would be welcome but Liverpool is unlikely to support such an expensive acquisition.
But if the deal on Mane will push through, the Reds will have the cash to start on the negotiation with PSG. Per the same report, Klopp could convince Liverpool's sponsors to take part in the blockbuster hiring of the French World Cup winner.
The proceeds from the possible sale of Mane and the sponsorship from partners like Nike could be tapped to realize the bid on Mbappe.
Another concern for Klopp is the reported £400,00 weekly salary of the 21-year-old. The Sun said Nike could be convinced to fund part of Mbappe's pay and the American company might just see the partnership as a worthy investment.
The Frenchman is seen as a rising force in football. He is a world champion at a young age and likely to increase his popularity when he makes the jump to the Premier League or La Liga.
