7 players Liverpool could sign to replace Sadio Mane: Gnabry, Nunez…
Sadio Mane has stated his intention to leave Liverpool this summer after six trophy-laden years with the club – but how would some of the players linked with a move to Anfield fare?
Mane, whose contract expires next June, has been the centre of speculation for a number of months. With the Senegal international looking to leave Merseyside, negotiations are now expected to take place between the player and Liverpool.
Bayern Munich remain the frontrunners for the forward’s signature, but Jurgen Klopp has been left with the difficult choice of how to best replace the modern-day Liverpool legend.
We’ve identified a selection of the biggest players linked with replacing Mane at Liverpool and assessed how they’d fare at Anfield.
Serge Gnabry
Liverpool may enter into a swap deal with Bayern Munich and bring Gnabry back to the Premier League this summer.
The former Arsenal winger, who was infamously snubbed by Tony Pulis at West Brom, has developed into one of Europe’s best wingers in Germany and registered 19 goal involvements (14 goals & five assists) in the Bundesliga last term.
Speaking in 2020, former boss Arsene Wenger said: “He’s creative, he can score goals, right-footed, left-footed, good power, good penetration and is very, very clever with the timing of his runs.”
Sounds like an ideal Liverpool signing to us. Make no mistake, this would be a coup for Klopp and the Reds.
Christian Pulisic
Chelsea and USMNT star Pulisic has been linked with a move to Anfield during the summer window and, if the move were to materialise, it would surely be one of the more surprising in recent Premier League history.
After his 2019 move from Borussia Dortmund, Pulisic has shown flashes of quality but injuries and some inconsistent form have dulled his reputation over the last few months.
Klopp is a known admirer of Pulisic and, with the American struggling to nail down a starting spot at Stamford Bridge, there’s an outside chance the 23-year-old could switch London for Merseyside this summer.
Darwin Nunez
It feels like the entire cabal of Super League clubs have been linked with Nunez during 2022.
The Benfica striker has become one of Europe’s breakout stars after plundering an incredible 34 goals this season – including Champions League strikes against Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
Benfica have attached a £68million price tag to the 22-year-old striker ahead of the summer window but Nunez is thought to be keen on a Premier League move.
There’s a feeling that the Uruguay international would need to round his game out to fit Liverpool’s style, or Klopp would have to tweak his tactics to get the best out of Nunez.
But a move to Anfield would be a significant statement of intent for both player and club.
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Christopher Nkunku
Nkunku has enjoyed a brilliant 2021-22 season, scoring 20 goals and adding 13 assists for Leipzig in the Bundesliga, while notching 7 goals and 1 assist in the Champions League.
It’s no wonder that some of Europe’s biggest clubs have been linked with his signature. Manchester United are thought to be keen on signing the 24-year-old but his versatility, dynamism, and drive would make him the perfect Mane replacement at Anfield.
A number of players have struggled to transport their Bundesliga form into English football; Nkunku would have every chance of bucking that trend.
Ousmane Dembele
Sport recently claimed that Liverpool have put in a proposal for Dembele. The Barcelona forward is out of contract this summer, meaning the Reds could sign him for free and he would certainly be an eye-catching signing.
Dembele’s time in Spain has been marked by accusations of unprofessionalism but he remains an immensely talented footballer and Klopp would fancy his chances of bringing the best out of the 25-year-old.
Talent wise,Ousmane Dembele is better than Kylian Mbappe pic.twitter.com/0UmprMp3W7
— Bilson Solomon (@solomonbilson1) May 11, 2022
Jarrod Bowen
Bowen was one of the stars of the 2021-22 Premier League season, scoring 12 goals and providing 10 assists for West Ham while simultaneously capturing the hearts of Danny and Dani Dyer.
His form was recognised with a deserved call-up to the England squad and his star is certainly in the ascendency.
Strong, quick and possessing the fearlessness of an elite forward, the 25-year-old would be an ideal signing for Klopp as Liverpool look to bounce back from their Premier League and Champions League disappointments.
But West Ham are preparing a bumper new contract for their top goalscorer and wouldn’t let Bowen leave without a fight.
Martin Terrier
The Mirror claim that Liverpool are interested in Rennes forward Terrier. He scored 21 goals in Ligue 1 last season and can play both wide-left and centrally, making him a perfect replacement for Mane on paper.
The 25-year-old Terrier hasn’t got the reputation to match others in our list, but there’s a sense that it could grow at Anfield – just like Mane’s did after his 2016 move.
And a goal involvement every 112 minutes he was on the pitch in Ligue 1, and that return of 21 strikes in 37 games, sounds very much like the sort of winger that Liverpool have made a habit of targeting.
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