Sadio Mane and Bukayo Saka shared a moment on the Ballon d'Or red carpet as the Bayern Munich star whispered a message to the Arsenal man.
Mane moved to the German champions in the summer as he bought his Liverpool spell to an end following six years at Anfield. His contract was winding down and he opted for a new challenge, but the forward has spoken positively about his time on Merseyside.
There has been talk of Liverpool struggling without the Senegal star, whose goals were crucial to their success. As a result they could eventually seek to add a replacement on the left wing with Saka among those linked with the Reds as his contract situation remains unresolved.
Mane's conversation with Saka was not audible but the 30-year-old no doubt only has good things to say about playing at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp. The Arsenal man is in dialogue with the club as he seeks to negotiate an extension, but several suitors are keeping tabs on the situation.
The Times previously reported that Liverpool and Manchester City were both waiting to see whether Saka's contract talks developed and would consider a move if they went south. Saka continues to grow in stature and has become one of the leading lights for the Gunners.
His performances have made him a mainstay with the Three Lions whilst his versatility is also a huge asset. Saka recently scored a brace against Liverpool, his second strike from the spot sealing a 3-2 success for Arsenal as they continue to set the pace in the Premier League.
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Mikel Arteta, who has a strong relationship with Saka, was quizzed on his contract status back in August and said: “I am very confident that we as a club and Bukayo, his family, his agent, everybody, we are very much aligned in what we want to achieve and now it is about putting it on a piece of paper.
“I would like that to get done, because I don’t want the player or anybody distracted while we are in the middle of the season. But those things take time and they have to go through the right process, and I think the process has been really good.”
Saka did offer a huge hint that his future lies at Arsenal after investing in an executive box at the Emirates, according to The Daily Mail. The 21-year-old has scored five times so far this season and his stock could rise further if he plays a key role for England at the World Cup in Qatar, which begins next month.
