Liverpool Identify Surprise Replacement For Sadio Mane

Sadio Mané is set to be announced as a Bayern Munich player on Wednesday and Liverpool believe they may need more than just Darwin Nuñez to replace him. The Reds have identified Marco Asensio as a potential forward target.

The Express report Asensio is being targeted to fill the gap which still remains in Liverpool’s ‘attacking group’,despite Darwin Nuñez’s arrival at the club.

Nuñez arrives at Liverpool off the back of a fantastic season with Benfica, but a period of acclimatisation is to be expected.

The Premier League represents a step up in quality from the Primeira Liga, which will pose several challenges to Nuñez.

Mané also isn’t the only Liverpool attacker to be departing Anfield this summer. Divock Origi is set to join AC Milan in the coming days after the expiration of his contract on Merseyside. Klopp may want to add some further depth to his attacking ranks regardless of his expectations for Nuñez.

Asensio is a practical option this transfer window. He’s available, and he wouldn’t be too expensive.

With a year left on his deal, Real are unwilling to match his wage demands and are thus open to selling him.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, they would however be required to match the significant salary demands. This may deter the Reds who have been known to stick to a tight wage structure. For this reason, contract talks have stalled with talisman Mo Salah.

The issue of wage is complexed further by the fact Asensio may not start regularly at Liverpool if he were to join.

The 26-year-old has started more than 20 games a season just once in 6 years at Real. He’s not a man who is used to playing football every week.

That may be part of the reason he is seeking a move away from the Spanish capital, but with the plethora of forward talent at Liverpool, there’ll be no guarantees of consistent minutes in England’s north-east either. This transfer, one suspects, is unlikely to occur this summer.