Liverpool left with ‘no choice’ but to sell as star ‘betrays Klopp’

Premier League side Liverpool will be forced to sell Sadio Mane in the summer transfer window, according to reports in Spain.

Mane has scored 107 goals in 244 appearances for the Reds since joining from Southampton for £34m in June 2016.

The Senegal international has won a Champions League and a Premier League title during his time under Jurgen Klopp, while he is set to resume duties at Liverpool after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal on Sunday.

Mane and his team-mate Mo Salah are out of contract at Liverpool in the summer of 2023 with little sign of concrete progress on transfer talks.

And now SPOX (via Spanish publication Nacional) claims that Mane has ambitions to ‘become the best African player in history’ and feels ‘he must win the Champions League with a club other than Liverpool’ to achieve this.

It is claimed that Klopp would prefer ‘to release Salah first, as he highly values ​​Mane’s work without the ball’ but given the Senegal international’s contract situation and stance, Liverpool ‘will have no choice but to transfer Mane in the next summer market’.

Nacional insist that would mean Mane ‘betrays Klopp’ with Liverpool ready to accept a bid of around €40m as they are aware they could lose their forward for nothing in 18 months’ time.

Meanwhile, Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler recently revealed his fears that the “business model” at Anfield could see Mane and Salah leave.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my career as a player and manager, it’s that there is no sentiment in football,” Fowler wrote in the Daily Mirror.

“It’s a ruthless business… which is why there is no ­guarantee Mo Salah and Sadio Mane will get the money many people think they deserve to sign new Liverpool contracts.

“Liverpool have a business model, and they have been pretty strong over the years at sticking to it.

“So Emre Can left on a free, Gini Wijnaldum left on a free. And you can only assume it is because they were asking for things that didn’t fit into that business model.

“Can the owners afford to give two players – or even three, if you ­include Roberto Firmino – exactly what they want and still keep their wage structure? I’m not so sure.

“If they could it would surely have happened by now. I can understand the position of both players, I really can. I won’t compare my situation during my time at Liverpool to theirs.

“The pair have been right at the summit of the world game now for some years, and Salah has even taken his form to a different level this season.

“They will feel they deserve to be paid the same as other players at that level – and they’re right.

“In modern terms, the current board now have, in Salah and Mane, a Messi and Ronaldo on their hands. That’s barely an exaggeration. They are up there on that level.

“You could argue it is the coaching and ­management of ­Jurgen Klopp that turned them into world-class players, and I’d agree. I heard Jamie Carragher ­describe Salah as a club legend, and I’d agree with that too.”