If there is a player that Real Madrid really needs right now, Liverpool striker Sadio Mane fulfills all the conditions. The Senegalese player is the most reasonable choice for Los Blancos.
The figure of 150 million pounds that Madrid must be poured out in order to get Mane from Liverpool, will make the 28-year-old striker the most expensive player in El Real’s history.
Mane will beat Eden Hazard’s record 89 million pounds when he was bought by Madrid from Chelsea this season. However, Madrid should not regret making Mane the most expensive player in club history.
Mane is a versatile player who can perform in various positions. The former Southampton player is one of the pieces needed by coach Zinedine Zidane to complete the homework that has appeared since 2018: Looking for a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo!
Zidane must realize that Ronaldo cannot be replaced by one player in Madrid. The Frenchman can no longer rely on one person to patch an average of 50 goals contributed by Ronaldo in Madrid.
Last season, which was Madrid’s first season without Ronaldo, Zidane’s team was unable to score 13 times in 57 matches in all competitions. That means Madrid have statistics up to 22.87 percent of matches can not score. Though Madrid’s worst record with Ronaldo occurred in the 2015/2016 season, which is only 15.38 percent.
The Madrid attackers brought in after the Ronaldo era have not yet shown sharpness. Luka Jovic has only scored two goals in all competitions this season, Eden Hazard has only one goal, Vinicius Junior has only four goals, Mariano Diaz has only one goal. All of them lost to Sergio Ramos who has scored seven goals despite playing as a central defender.
Mane is a guaranteed goal for Madrid. Since strengthening Liverpool, Mane has a fairly impressive goal record. In the first season of adaptation, Mane scored 13 goals, followed by 20 goals the following season and last season with 26 goals. This season Mane has scored 18 goals in all matches until the competition is stopped.
The presence of Mane, plus Eden Hazard who was already in the squad, and rumors of Erling Halaand being recruited, Madrid had the opportunity to patch up the lack of goals that had been made by Ronaldo.
In addition to being a guaranteed goal for Madrid, Mane can also play in various positions. Mane is considered one of the best winger in the world today. Transfermarkt noted, Mane scored 50 goals and 23 assists from 109 matches as a left wing at Liverpool.
With Hazard having the original position as a left wing, Mane has a great chance of playing on the right wing. But Zidane does not need to worry, the article the former Red Bull Salzburg player can also appear impressive appearing as a right wing.
During strengthen Liverpool, Mane played 41 times as a right wing by creating 20 goals and nine assists. This means that the percentage of Mane’s goals as a right winger is almost 50 percent. Meanwhile, as a central striker Mane has a score of seven goals and two assists from ten matches.
More value Mane is not only a guarantee of goals and can play in various positions. Mane also has movements without balls which are brilliant, adaptable, and unselfish.
Basically Mane is a player that all football coaches crave and is in his golden age as a footballer.
The only thing that might be a concern for Madrid is the history of Mane’s injury. The player who started his professional career at Metz in 2011 has a worrying injury record.
This season Mane suffered muscle and hamstring injuries which have kept him out of four matches with Liverpool. In 2017, Mane also had a long absence due to a hamstring and knee injury. The rest Madrid does not need to worry about the contribution that Mane can make.
