5 players who could succeed Sadio Mane at Liverpool

Liverpool v Burnley - Premier League
Liverpool v Burnley - Premier League

Sadio Mane has been one of Liverpool's most consistent performers of the Jurgen Klopp era. Signed from Southampton for what now looks like a bargain fee of £32 million, the Senegalese forward's energy and agility has been a defining attribute of the Reds' front line.

Liverpool's deadly front three have fired the Reds to the heights of European glory and a coveted Premier League title. Last season, however, brought doubts about Mane's future at the club, as he endured a lackluster campaign by his lofty standards.

Mane is here to stay at Liverpool and could well end up getting a new contract, but here are five players who could eventually replace him at Anfield.


#5 Harvey Barnes | Leicester City

Leicester City v Slavia Praha - UEFA Europa League Round Of 32 Leg Two
Leicester City v Slavia Praha - UEFA Europa League Round Of 32 Leg Two

Leicester City's Harvey Barnes has become a key member of former Liverpool boss Brendan Rogers' Leicester City side. Their possession-based style of play suits an out-and-out pacy winger who disrupts the defensive lines alongside Jamie Vardy. In the final third, his combination play to receive cutbacks and short quick passes made Leicester a fluid footballing force to watch, as he chipped in with a contribution of 13 goals last season.

Whilst he may not be a lethal goalscoring inside forward like Sadio Mane, Barnes is an extremely industrious and hard-working winger whose tactical discipline in periods without the ball has been vital to Leicester's many spirited performances.


#4 Ousmane Dembele | Barcelona

FC Barcelona v Girona - Pre-Season Friendly
FC Barcelona v Girona - Pre-Season Friendly

Ousmane Dembele's stock has dipped considerably since his move to Barcelona due to prolonged injury troubles and a hugely inflated transfer fee, which is believed to be in the region £135 million, including add-ons.

On his day, his mesmerizing dribbling ability makes him one of the most scintillating wingers in world football, drawing defenders to cover him to free up players off the ball.

At Borussia Dortmund, his primary role as a creative influence for Pierre-Emerick Aubemayang saw him notch up over 20 assists through cutbacks and crosses. Even at Barcelona, he has shown flashes of brilliance despite suffering a handful of injuries.

For Liverpool, he could be the perfect man to complement Mohammed Salah. With his contract set to expire next summer, the Reds could turn to him if they look to snap up a forward in the next 12 months or so.


#3 Marcus Thuram | Borussia Monchengladbach

FC Schalke 04 v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Bundesliga
FC Schalke 04 v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Bundesliga

The son of French great Lilian, Marcus Thuram is a lightning-quick winger who plays for Borussia Monchengladbach. At 6''3, inheriting his father's frame, he is a physically imposing forward primed for the pressing game and is blessed with the stamina to win back possession for his counterparts. His time in the Bundesliga has shown that he is more than capable of adapting to Jurgen Klopp's system at Liverpool.

At just 23 years of age, with a continuously rising stock buoyed by breaking into the French national team, Liverpool will have a bonafide goalscoring superstar on their hands should they make a timely move for the Frenchman.


#2 Federico Chiesa | Juventus

Italy v England - UEFA Euro 2020: Final
Italy v England - UEFA Euro 2020: Final

Italy's Euro 2020 superstar seemed to burst onto the scene unexpectedly, but his performances were hardly a shock to many Serie A fans. His breakout year for Fiorentina in the 2019-20 season was followed by a move to Juventus, where his combination play with Cristiano Ronaldo was a force to be reckoned with.

One of Mane's biggest strengths is his confidence in running head first into the final third from wide areas, an ability Chiesa is blessed with while also being armed with a dangerous switch of pace and a powerful shot. His tally of 15 goals and 11 assists in his single season at Juventus is almost guaranteed to multiply in Jurgen Klopp's attacking lineup. Liverpool are public admirers of the Italian, having reportedly placed a £100 million bid for the 23-year-old earlier this summer.

Chiesa looks set to remain at Juventus this summer, but Liverpool could well return with an improved bid in the future if he carries on performing like this.


#1 Jeremy Doku | Rennes

Belgium v Italy - UEFA Euro 2020: Quarter-final
Belgium v Italy - UEFA Euro 2020: Quarter-final

Belgium's breakout star of Euro 2020, Jeremy Doku, amazed everyone with his dazzling dribbling ability and attacking play. Aged just 19, the young winger was unfazed against Europe's very best.

Doku burst onto the scene at Anderlecht and made the switch to Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes last summer, where he has grown leaps and bounds as a player.

His pure pace and agility is proof that he is cut from the same cloth as Sadio Mane. What is more exciting for Liverpool fans is that Jurgen Klopp is rumored to have met with Doku as a teenager, praising his ability and declaring him the eventual heir to the Senegalese star in the years to come.

Quick Links

Edited by Vishal Subramanian