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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Tom Blow

Jurgen Klopp told perfect "thousand miles an hour" Sadio Mane transfer replacement

Christian Vieri has urged Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to sign Napoli forward Victor Osimhen as a replacement for Sadio Mane.

The Reds are in danger of losing Mane, 30, this summer amid reports he wants to leave Anfield. German giants Bayern Munich are reportedly interested in signing the Senegal international, who is set to enter the final year of his existing deal.

Bayern are poised to make a £25million bid for Mane. Liverpool are believed to be demanding at least £42.5m, which would still be a bargain in the current market. Bayern are aiming to replace Robert Lewandowski after the Polish striker expressed a desire to leave.

Liverpool do not want to lose Mane, who's been pivotal to their success. He's scored 120 goals since arriving from Southampton six years ago, helping them win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

But if Mane does head for the exit, Vieri believes Osimhen would be an ideal successor. The 20-cap Nigeria international, 23, scored 18 goals for Napoli this season and was recently named Serie A's Best Young Player. He helped Nigeria win the U17 World Cup in 2015.

Vieri certainly knows plenty about Italian football. The iconic forward scored 167 league goals in his homeland between 1991 and 2009, becoming a 49-cap international in the process. His list of honours include the Serie A title, won at Juventus in 1996-97.

Sadio Mane's Liverpool future is in doubt following the Champions League final (AFP via Getty Images)

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"If I were Liverpool, I would go and take Osimhen from Napoli," said Vieira on Twitch channel BoboTV, as quoted by Napoli Magazine. "Everyone runs in Klopp’s squad, they go a thousand miles an hour. He would be perfect."

Liverpool currently have six senior strikers on their books in Mane, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Takumi Minamino. Divock Origi, who is expected to join AC Milan, will leave Anfield when his contract expires at the end of this month.

Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota will not quit the club this summer, although others might. Minamino, 27, has struggled for minutes at Liverpool this season - playing just 11 Premier League games - and has been linked with a move to Leeds, according to Leeds Live.

Firmino, meanwhile, is out of contract next June and has fallen down the pecking order. The Brazilian, 30, made just 20 Premier League appearances this season and was left out of the starting XI for last month's Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in Paris.

Salah has also got just over a year left on his contract and it's unclear whether he'll sign an extension. The Egyptian, 29, has told reporters he will remain at the club this summer, giving the Reds time to recover if Mane decides to say goodbye to Merseyside.

"I don't want to talk about the contract now, I'm staying next season for sure, that's clear," said Salah ahead of the Champions League final.

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