Liverpool man impressed by Mane, Matip in training

Matt Stead

New Liverpool signings Sadio Mane and Joel Matip have already impressed teammate Jon Flanagan in training.

Mane, a £34m purchase from Southampton, and Matip, who signed on a free transfer from Schalke, linked up with their new teammates earlier this week to begin training ahead of the new season.

Flanagan, who has discussed manager Jurgen Klopp’s “tough” pre-season regimes, says that the pair have already showcased their “class” in training.

The England international referenced his latest dealings with Mane as an example of the forward’s quality. The Senegalese came on as a second-half substitute for Southampton against Liverpool in March, with the Reds leading 2-0 on Flanagan’s debut as captain. Mane scored twice as Saints embarked on a memorable comeback.

“Don’t remind me about that game!” Flanagan told the Liverpool Echo. “He showed that day what a great player he is. We saw that regularly from him in the Premier League last season.

“He has pace and power, and he’s a great finisher as well.

“I’ve seen it already in training this week. He’s a top class player and I think he’s going to be a great asset for us this season.”

“They are all good lads who are settling in well,” he added, of new recruits Loris Karius, Marko Grujic and Matip.

“Matip is a big lad who is great on the ball. They all seem top players.

“We can’t dwell on what happened at the end of last season. We have to put that behind us and crack on. The signings can help us have a better season in the league and a couple of good runs in the cups.”