Jurgen Klopp identifies proper Sadio Mane replacement as Liverpool set to table £18m for forward

Jurgen Klopp identifies proper Sadio Mane replacement valued at £18m

Despite Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp having already found the “next Sadio Mané,” the Reds will probably have to wait a bit before making a transfer.

Sadio Mané is no longer part of the Liverpool team, and as he stated earlier this week: it feels strange.

Without him, Liverpool will be without an attacker who made 259 appearances, scored 120 goals, and was the Reds’ first ‘transformational’ acquisition under Jürgen Klopp.

And what this means is the development of a long-term strategy for their forward line, not the least of which is the unsettling possibility that Mohamed Salah could leave the club after this season.

The Salah-Mané-Firmino front three has been replaced by Luis Diáz and Darwin Nunéz, who came before them. Evolution has started, but it will undoubtedly continue.

Jeremy Doku has been linked with a move to Anfield. (Getty Images)

This means that while Nunez for Mané was the trade this summer, there will be more attacking arrivals in the next transfer windows, and there are high aspirations for players like Kaide Gordon as they progress through the Academy system.

Another young player that Liverpool has kept an eye on and undoubtedly will continue to do so is Jérémy Doku, who is only 20 years old and currently has a Transfermarkt value of £18 million. In 2018, they made a pretty serious attempt to entice him to join them.

Doku, who was 16 at the time, apparently spent some time visiting Melwood with Mané and Gini Wijnaldum. The man who would have been Doku Junior’s coach at the U18s level, Steven Gerrard, Doku Senior later recalled, showed him tactical videos as part of the pitch.

He also allegedly had a conversation with Jürgen Klopp, who allegedly told him that he could be the new Mané.

The Belgian, who was then at Anderlecht, attracted interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Ajax, and PSV as well.

However, he eventually chose Rennes as his next stop, which seems like a logical move given that it is where players like Raphinha and Ismala Sarr were developed before moving on to bigger things.

Jeremy Doku is seen as the new Mane by Jurgen Klopp. (Getty Images)

This summer’s business for Liverpool is probably over. However, given that the Reds and their manager, Klopp, are already big admirers of Doku, this may be something to keep an eye on in the future.

Liverpool has a history of going back for long-term objectives after missing out the first time, and should Doku eventually live up to his potential, they may do so once again.

Doku would not even have to wait until next summer as he is only 20 years old. Rafinha’s switch to Leeds United is a fantastic example of how he might make more than one move before reaching the absolute top.

In other news, Liverpool star finally takes a decision on his future at the club