Liverpool reportedly feel under no pressure to resolve the future of Sadio Mane amid transfer links with Bayern Munich and now Barcelona.
The Senegal star will enter the final year of his Anfield contract at the end of the season. Indeed, he is in the same situation as Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in that regard.
While Firmino’s influence has waned due to the arrivals of Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, Mane has gone the opposite way.
As a result, there is increasing talk over whether Liverpool will reward him for maintaining his consistency. In recent days, reports have claimed that Bayern Munich are keen on signing Mane.
What’s more, Mundo Deportivo has now claimed that Mane would ‘be delighted’ to move to Camp Nou.
The 30-year-old also reportedly feels that he will have more chances to win the Ballon d’Or at the La Liga giants.
According to another report from Goal, though, Liverpool feel relaxed about the AFCON winner’s situation.
The Reds are aware that recent attempts at negotiating with Mane and his agent have proved unsuccessful.
However, the club have already pencilled in fresh talks with Bjorn Bezemer for the end of the season.
Bezemer has strong ties to Julian Ward, who will soon take over from Michael Edwards as Liverpool’s sporting director.
Bezemer and Ward were present at the Reds’ Champions League semi-final win in Villarreal. Mane scored his 16th goal of the season to make it 3-2 to Liverpool on the night and 5-2 on aggregate and help send Liverpool to the final.
Goal crucially notes in an update that Bayern have no interest – as it stands – in going after Mane.
Sadio Mane maintaining crucial Liverpool role
There was doubt over how Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would deploy January signing Luis Diaz upon his arrival.
Indeed, Diaz – like Mane – likes playing on the left wing and cutting in on his right foot. However, the Colombian also has the pace and strength to beat opponents on the outside.
Similar attributes have made Mane so successful in his almost six years at Anfield.
Still, he has now moved across the front line and often plays in the middle alongside Diaz and Salah.
He also played on the right until Salah arrived at Liverpool in 2017. As such, he has now proven himself in all three roles and definitely deserves a new contract.