Senegal international Bamba Dieng has spoken of his admiration for his compatriot Sadio Mane.
Since joining Liverpool from Southampton in 2016, Mane has been one of the most devastating wingers in world football and has helped the Reds win the Champions League, Premier League and League Cup.
Mane is also an icon in his homeland, especially after he inspired Senegal to Africa Cup of Nations glory earlier this year.
The Reds sensation slotted the winning penalty in the final shootout against Egypt, getting one over on his club team-mate Mohamed Salah in the process.
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The pair both have uncertain futures at Anfield, with their contracts set to run out at the end of next season. However, they will both be focused on a potentially thrilling end to the season for Liverpool, with a quadruple of trophies on the cards.
Dieng was part of the AFCON-winning Senegal squad earlier in the year and the Marseille starlet said Mane revealed he watches a lot of the Ligue 1 side's matches, per Le10 Sport (h/t Sport Witness ).
"He’s an exceptional player," said the 21-year-old. "Sadio is someone who works hard in training and you can see it in his games. He’s also someone who gives us a lot of tips. In training, on penalties, he calls me, gives me ideas. He wants us to go forward, to progress.
"He also loves OM a lot. He told me he watches all the OM games. As soon as we arrive in the national team, he’s happy, he speaks about Marseille. I’d like for him to join us and play here one day."
Dieng has been a rotation option for Marseille this season, making 18 appearances in Ligue 1 with nine coming as a starter.
The youngster netted two goals at AFCON and slotted the penultimate penalty in the final shootout to set up Mane's winning moment.