Sadio Mane finally put pen to paper on a new long-term deal with Liverpool this week, as the Senegales forward extended his stay at Anfield to the summer of 2023.
Talk of a new contract began last summer and he now joins the elite group of earners with his current weekly pay expected to be in excess of £150,000. His previous contract was to run until 2021, but the Lion of Teranga has been rewarded with a contract befitting his status as one of the best forwards in the country.
The 26-year-old made the switch from Southampton in June 2016 on a five-year contract for a reported transfer fee of £34m. He was one of the very first few signings under Jurgen Klopp and his progression has been steady.
So why did Liverpool see the need to offer him an improved contract? The answer to this question lies in what he is capable of doing in the field of play. We are going to look at his record for the time that he has been with the Reds below.
Stats
Mane has made a total of 89 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions where he has scored a total of 40 goals in that period. This is a very impressive record when you consider that he plays in a wide role most of the time.
His contribution has been more notable in the Champions League where he scored ten goals last term in 11 appearances, the same number he managed in 29 Premier League appearances. His goals were responsible for firing Liverpool all the way to the final, where they lost to Real Madrid.
To put into context his importance to the side, you will be pleased to know that he was voted the club’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year in his debut season. In addition to that, he has arguably been Liverpool’s best attacker this season, following six goals in 11 league matches.
What does the future hold?
The future looks bright for Liverpool and Mane if recent developments are anything to go by. Liverpool have made some impressive signings over the last couple of transfer windows and it comes as no surprise that they are the closest team to Manchester City in the title race.
Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino recently committed their long-term futures to the Reds as well, and Mane’s new contract is just the icing on the cake. This is particularly important seeing that the three have formed one of the most formidable trios in attack.
The fact that they all complement each other can only mean more misery for opposition defenders. Their immediate call of duty is to try and wrestle the control of the title race from Manchester City, whether they can do that will remain to be seen, but he is surely going to have a very good season if he avoids injury.
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