There will be big shoes to fill at Liverpool if Sadio Mane departs.
The Senegal winger has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich in the upcoming window as the Reds have been unable to extend his contract, which expires in 2023. It's claimed Mane wants a new challenge after six years on Merseyside but Liverpool are only willing to listen to offers in the region of £42.5million, otherwise, it's not worth their time.
The 30-year-old has been a smash hit ever since he joined Liverpool from Southampton for £34m but nobody expected him to reach the levels that have made him one of the best players in the Premier League. Mane has often been overshadowed by Mohamed Salah, though he has slowly but surely garnered the respect he deserves. The forward is known as Liverpool's 'big game player' scoring vital goals when it matters most.
This was epitomised this season when he broke Cristiano Ronaldo's record of scoring the most amount of goals, 15, in the knockout stages since 2017/18. Here's how he managed to take his game to another level and what we know so far about his future.
Mane's tears
The only person holding Mane back when he first arrived at Anfield was himself. Jurgen Klopp has said from day one that he was a "world-class" talent but it took a lot longer for him to realise that.
Mane was his own worst critic as he put a lot of pressure on himself to perform at a high level. This was glaringly obvious with Senegal as he let his emotions get the better of him on several occasions.
There was one occasion where he was pictured with his shirt over his head while crying and being consoled by Cheikhou Kouyate and a member of staff as he walked off the field despite Senegal beating Equatorial Guinea 1-0.
It's not the first time he has been reduced to tears for his country. He was carried off the pitch while crying after missing a crucial penalty for his nation in the 2017 African Cup of Nations.
Mane has been able to control those emotions in recent years, however, notably when he kept his cool to score the winning penalty to help Senegal win this year's AFCON against Salah's Egypt.
Klopp has always been of the opinion that Mane could make it to the very top, he just had to believe that he was among the best.
"He is an outstanding player, I never had any other opinion," said Klopp in 2018. "He needed more confidence when he came in, the start was really good but I think he was a bit surprised by himself.
"Everything was good until the first time his shape dropped a little bit and then he struggled a bit with that because he needed to get used to [the fact] that he is a world-class player.
"Now, he knows that much better. That helps us. He is a really good player. Since he came in he helped the team so much, he improved so much. He is an outstanding offensive player.
"If you ask me if he is a striker, yes, from time to time. Is he a midfielder? Yes, from time to time. He can probably play a slightly deeper position as well - we don't have to play him there because we have other players there - but he could play it as well.
"He is physically strong, technically strong, he is unbelievably quick, he is quick in mind as well, and he is a good shooter with both feet. That makes a good player and he is a fantastic person."
Salah rivalry
Mane has squared off against Salah on the international stage on several occasions, but the pair have had a friendly rivalry at club level too. And it's undoubtedly brought out the best of them and played to Liverpool's advantage.
The duo have been formidable for the Reds on either flank with Robert Firmino making up the deadly front three that claimed the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League the following season.
There have been some testing moments, however, as Mane was often annoyed at Salah's decision making in front of goal. It came to the surface against Burnley in 2019 as he was left seemingly incensed by Salah, who chose to try and take a shot on goal himself, despite Mane being better placed in the box.
Mane told Canal Plus at the time: "He said to me 'Sadio, why are you angry?' I told him, 'You needed to give me the ball, Mo', to which he replied, 'I didn't see you. You know I've got nothing against you.'
"I know that, but his reaction was a bit strange to me. We talk on the phone sometimes, we text each other and we don't have a problem. We talked between ourselves, and then the manager called me into his office and we spoke. I told him it was already sorted and he was pleasantly surprised."
Mane and Salah's rivalry has ultimately made them both better players but there is a feeling the former might want to finally get out of the latter's shadow.
Mane's media snub
Mane has remained tight-lipped on his future all season but said he would address his future following the Champions League final, which Real Madrid won 1-0.
Klopp has been equally coy on Mane's situation. "Wherever Sadio will play next year, he will be a big player," said the Reds boss. "Sometimes players have this idea, we have another, sometimes they don't match immediately but we work together, we have known each other for ages. It's all fine. It is all clear, not one of them is waiting to hear from us what we want to do."
Mane did not speak to the media following Saturday's showdown in Paris, however, as the Daily Mail claims he skipped talking to the press.
It's impossible to know his motives behind that decision, but the winger would have been well aware of what questions were going to come his way after the game.
If Mane does leave this summer, he had a chance to be open and honest about it, but choose not to, despite his promise.
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Transfer standoff
Liverpool claim that Mane has not communicated his feelings to the club but it seems they have come to terms that he wants out since he hasn't signed a new contract.
But the Reds aren't willing to let him go on the cheap as they have placed a £42.5million price tag on their prized asset in the wake of reports that Bayern would submit a £25m bid.
The Reds would rather keep him for an extra year even if it meant he leaves as a free agent next summer as that sum of money would get nowhere near the cost of his replacement.
This standoff could continue for some time but it seems Mane and Liverpool's marriage is coming to an end.
