Liverpool are reportedly leading the race ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane, as per Caught Offside.
The Reds decided to reinforce the frontline by purchasing Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike last summer. However, despite letting Luis Diaz leave, they didn’t sign a natural left-winger.
As a result, Arne Slot has been left with Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha, and Federico Chiesa as options to deploy on the left flank. However, Chiesa hasn’t been able to play regularly under the Dutch boss, while Ngumoha is still a teenager and isn’t ready to play regularly at the highest level yet.
On the other hand, Gakpo has displayed inconsistent performances this season, scoring only twice in the last 15 appearances across all competitions.
So, it appears Slot is considering upgrading the left flank in the summer, and Caught Offside state that Liverpool have identified Mane as a serious target.
Apart from the Merseyside club, Man Utd and Arsenal have also expressed their interest in the 18-year-old, having been impressed by his recent eye-catching performances.
The North London club are ‘big admirers’ of the Wolves star and are keen on securing his services. However, Liverpool are currently leading the race and prepared to launch a formal proposal in the summer.
Battle
The report state that Wolves are resigned to losing Mane as they are almost guaranteed to endure relegation at the end of this season. However, they have no intention of letting him leave for cheap, with his existing deal set to run until 2029, and have slapped a £50m price tag on his head.
Mane is a versatile forward, as although he has been playing as a midfielder in Rob Edwards’ back three system, the youngster is a left-winger by trait and is also comfortable on the opposite side.
Mane is a talented player and possesses high potential. He is quick, technically sound, and efficient in dribbling past opposition defenders in tight areas.
He might be a shrewd acquisition for Liverpool should they purchase him. However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the Anfield club eventually manage to lure him away from Molineux Stadium by defeating Arsenal and Man Utd in this race.
