Koeman names Liverpool winger as Messi’s replacement should he leave Barcelona
Roland Koeman names another Liverpool star as a potential player to take up his trade at Camp Nou.
The Premier League winners are under threat from Barcelona once again. If you thought gone are the days of Barca picking from the best at Anfield, then you thought wrong. It appears the Spanish outfit have outlaid their plan in the wake of a Messi departure and involves Sadio Mane.
When Lionel Messi is not smashing the back of the net on the pitch, he is breaking the internet. This time with the most shocking news yet, regarding him and an exit from the place he calls home, Barcelona. The club’s failure over the past few seasons have called for the most gifted player in their club’s history to throw in the towel.
Instead of basking in the disappointing news and waiting for things to get worse, it appears Ronald Koeman is already working on life after Messi and has identified Mane from Anfield as the perfect fit to replace him.
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Sport.es goes on in saying that the Senegal international is willing to join the La Liga runners-up if the Messi does become one of the most shocking transfers of the 2020 summer transfer window.
"Leo Messi’s potential Barca exit could provoke a transfer market earthquake, as Neymar’s did when he went to PSG. Barca are determined to keep Messi but per TMW, Sadio Mane would be willing to sign for them if the Argentine goes. (Via: sport.es)"
As per previous attempts out of Spain from Barca’s long-standing rivals, Real Madrid, the Liverpool winger was priced at £120 million when they were interested in him. With the club insisting no buyout clause in their contracts, the Reds have the last say over what they want in terms of asking price. They could inflate it considering what he has achieved during his time in England, despite the financial restraints caused by the pandemic.
Mane has worked with Koeman when the two were at St. Mary’s together. The Dutchman unleashed the beast that led to Liverpool signing him for £34 million back in 2016. What Jurgen Klopp followed up with has turned Mane into a world-class forward.
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He was a standout figure in their Premier League winning campaign, as well as their Champions League success the season prior. If signed, he would be a massive statement by the club and the new manager.
He has already expressed his desire and enthusiasm to bring in another Liverpool star, Georginio Wijnaldum. The wait now? Is to see what the king of Spain’s next move is. Sadly, where that £120m would be invested in at Anfield is another story on its own.