"?Liverpool are said to be on the verge of agreeing a fee in the region of £30m with Southampton for Senegalese international Sadio Mane, as they prepare to snatch the forward from under the noses of Manchester United.
Mane was said to be one of United's top targets for most of the past season, with both the club's scouts and Louis van Gaal impressed with the quality of the 24-year-old, but new boss Jose Mourinho is said to be less keen than his predecessor - giving Jurgen Klopp's Reds the chance to steal in.
Liverpool to launch £30m bid for Sadio Mane? Transfer news and gossip from today's papers https://t.co/PbG5R8GcoH pic.twitter.com/EQdHZUBvYc
"?The Sun report that the £30m fee would take the form of a base £25m payment with the rest coming in add-ons, adding that the Saints star is keen on a move to Anfield to join their ever-growing horde of forwards.
Such a move would put even more pressure on the club's existing attacking threats, with England international Daniel Sturridge thought to be particularly at risk thanks to his insistence on a starting role - as well as his lengthy and well-documented injury history.
Mane scored 15 goals in all competitions for the Saints last season, with 11 of them coming in the Premier League. He was a particular thorn in the side of Klopp and his side - netting three times against them in two matches last season, including a brilliant brace in just 45 minutes in March.
#SaintsFC's Sadio Mané was on target for Senegal, as they secured #AFCON2017 qualification with a win over Burundi: https://t.co/w3UpqInkDD
Mane would be far from the first player to move from St Mary's to Anfield in recent years, with Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne and Dejan Lovren all in the Reds' first team this season - and Rickie Lambert already shopped out to West Brom.
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