In what could come as fantastic news for Liverpool fans, Sadio Mane is set to be rewarded with a new bumper deal. The reports have emerged after the Senegalese scored his first ever hat-trick for Liverpool in their 5-0 rout of FC Porto in the first leg of Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday.
Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino also scored in the big win in Portugal that practically have seen the Reds put one foot in the quarterfinals of the Champions League with the second leg at Anfield slated to be played in March.
Mane joined Liverpool in a £30m deal from Southampton in the summer of 2016. His current deal at Anfield runs until 2021 and although he has three years still left to run on the £80,000-a-week contract, the Reds want to secure his future, the Daily Mirror report.
After resisting the sale of Philippe Coutinho at the start of the season, the Reds had to give up on their playmaker as Barcelona captured the player’s services by paying £143m last month. With Coutinho’s sale in January, Jurgen Klopp is reluctant to lose any of his further prized assets and therefore, wants to reward Mane with a new deal.
Mane has been in terrific form alongside the likes of Salah and Firmino this season. The fearsome trio has scored 63 goals between them in all competitions, with the Senegalese attacker scoring 12 so far.
The jet-heeled forward is much appreciated and adored by the Kop. Mane has not been at his scintillating best this season but has contributed massively to the team by supplying 7 assists. He may not be scoring regularly as his fellow forwards, but Mane’s significance to Klopp’s team is simply unexplainable.
Since leaving Southampton in 2016, Mane’s stock has indeed gone up with the Senegalese performing very well for us. And in the recognition of his contribution, the forward is in line for a pay hike as the Reds are keen to secure his future. The club seem to have no intention of allowing one of their star players to leave the club.
However, as the Senegalese still has three more years to run on his contract, there is no immediate pressure on Klopp and co. Nevertheless, it would be brilliant if we make Mane sign new terms.
