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Liverpool transfer news: 10 players who could replace Mane at Anfield, including Kane and Nunez

Darwin Nunez, Harry Kane and Jarrod Bowen

With Sadio Mane set to leave Liverpool, Planet Sport looks at 10 possible replacements Jurgen Klopp could bring to Anfield.

Sadio Mane could well have played his last game for Liverpool with the Senegal forward now widely expected to leave the club this summer.

Bayern Munich are the big favourites to sign the Senegal forward, who this year has won two cups with Liverpool and also played in the Champions League final.

Mane also led his country to Africa Cup of Nations glory and World Cup qualification.

The 30-year-old had just a year left on his Liverpool contract and wants a new challenge, but who will the Reds bring in as a replacement?

Jurgen Klopp has, of course, brought in Luis Diaz already, but with Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah's contracts also ending next summer, replacements are needed.

Just what type of forward Liverpool need is the big question - as with Divock Origi also gone they seem to be missing a player who can play centrally and share the load with Firmino, who has had fitness issues.

Darwin Nunez - Benfica

The Uruguayan is set to be one of the big names of the summer transfer window after his goalscoring exploits with Benfica this season.
Nunez scored 26 goals in 28 games in the league, adding another six in the Champions League - including one in each leg against Liverpool.
He'll only turn 23 in June and although he's predominantly a central striker he has played wide and, crucially for Liverpool's needs, in behind.
The major sticking point here is the fee, as with a contract until 2025 and Manchester United also interested, Benfica will want around double the £45million West Ham nearly signed him for in January.

Christopher Nkunku - RB Leipzig

The young French forward is right up Liverpool's statistical street after a stellar campaign in the Bundesliga that saw him become one of the hot prospects of the summer.
Nkunku was quite frankly ridiculous this season, with 20 goals and 15 assists in 34 Bundesliga games, he was a threat from everywhere.

He got seven goals, including a hat-trick against Man City, and two assists in the Champions League before adding four more in the Europa League.

Still only 24 and with two years left on his deal he's right in the sweet spot for Jurgen Klopp, with his ability to play anywhere across a front three and both score and supply goals.

It's thought around £60million could get the deal done, but it would be a big statement for the Reds and could also future-proof them if Salah joins Mane in leaving next summer.

Jarrod Bowen - West Ham

Liverpool have been linked with Jarrod Bowen before but after another fine season and an England call-up, it'll cost the Reds are lot more to get him now if they're still interested.

He's 25, so still young enough to justify a big fee for the Liverpool transfer committee, and with 12 goals and 10 assists in the Premier League he's shown he can score them and set them up.

Bowen can play along the front three and has also done well in the Europa League this year so he looks a good fit and Klopp could well get a lot more out of him if they can get a deal done.

West Ham will not let him go cheaply, though.

Serge Gnabry - Bayern Munich

An interesting one that could appeal to Liverpool's more frugal side is Serge Gnabry, especially if Liverpool could get him as part of a deal that takes Mane to Bayern.

Klopp will know his fellow German, who turns 27 in July, pretty well and Gnabry only has a year left on his deal so would not cost the earth.

Gnabry produced 14 goals and six assists in the league this season, and although predominantly operating wide right he's played all across the front three.

Interestingly, Gnabry has also played in midfield and in behind a striker to great effect, scoring seven from 11 when lining up deeper.
He's got that thrusting burst from deeper that can break down packed defences - which is a must for Liverpool - and the Reds have been reportedly interested since they got wind of Mane intending to leave.

Rafael Leao - AC Milan

The young Portuguese flier scored 11 goals and had 10 assists from the left wing as AC Milan won the Italian title this season.
The 22-year-old (who is 23 in June) also had an assist in Milan's 3-2 Champions League defeat at Anfield, where he was lively all night, and Liverpool's interest was reported from then on.
His age and profile fit the bill, and with two years left on his contract a deal could be made if Milan want to cash in and avoid losing him for far less next summer.

Ousmane Dembele - Barcelona

Remember him? The £136million Barcelona signing from Dortmund is out of contract this summer at Camp Nou and looks like he'll be leaving.

Injuries haven't helped the Frenchman but he's only just turned 25 and showed something like his best this season with 13 assists from the right wing.
Depending on wages, Klopp may feel he can polish this rough diamond and get him back to something like the player he was at Dortmund.

Arnaut Danjuma - Villarreal

Signed from Bournemouth just last summer, Danjuma has been a revelation for Villarreal this season with his goals helping them to the Champions League semi-finals.
Playing off the left wing but more often down the middle, Danjuma scored 16 goals in 34 games and the 25-year-old is now a target for Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle.

Erik ten Hag knows the Dutchman well, and Eddie Howe was his boss at Bournemouth, but a move to Anfield would surely be his preferred destination given the option.

Amine Gouiri - Nice

One of the more under-the-radar moves Liverpool could make would be for France Under-21 international Amine Gouiri.

Now 22, he scored 12 goals and added 10 assists for Nice last season, and as a central striker who can also play on the left is right in the Mane mould.

Gouiri is one of the best young players in Europe with the ball at his feet, as his dribbling stats showcase, and he'd be just the type of young talent the Reds have previous of bringing through.

Martin Terrier - Rennes

A left-winger who can also play down the middle scoring 20 league goals in a season sound familiar? Martin Terrier has just had a very Sadio Mane-like season in France with Rennes.
It's not quite like-for-like in terms of the quality of the league, but the Liverpool stats boffins will no doubt have their eye on Terrier when crunching the numbers.
Only two players scored more Ligue 1 goals than Terrier last season and it's that type of production from wide that Liverpool's forwards have made their name on.

Harry Kane - Tottenham

Well, yes, OK, the last big name is the most unlikely, but there have been whispers lately and Harry Kane's odds to join Liverpool have tumbled recently right down to 4/1.

Had Spurs not made the Champions League then the whispers would've turned into full-on transfer chatter, but while he's likely to give them another year at least there are just a few reasons why it could be a possibility, even a remote one.

Firstly, let's banish any lingering doubts about whether Kane would fit into a Liverpool side, he would. End of. On top of his goals, playing that central role Firmino has done, dropping in to play balls out to Salah, Diaz, Jota would make an incredible front line.

So why would he leave now? Well, he's only got two years left on his deal and is 29 in July, so his value will never be higher for Daniel Levy to cash-in on.

Will Antonio Conte stay? If Levy wants the manager to remain for a while and build a team, the Kane fee could help without breaking the bank.

And lastly, Kane himself. If he gets wind that Liverpool want him, with the chance to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League right away, and go toe-to-toe with Erling Haaland, that might be too good to turn down.

And he's been burned by Spurs before...
OK, so it's fanciful, and we've not even mentioned whether Liverpool would even consider making a bid, but it would certainly be something!

READ MORE: Divock Origi departing Liverpool as the Reds' best ever super sub

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