One of the biggest stories of the summer transfer window looks set to play out in Liverpool after Sadio Mane announced he wants to leave the club ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. But it is a move that could have a big impact on Chelsea.
No, Mane does not look like he is about to swap the red of Liverpool for Chelsea blue. Bayern Munich are the front-runners for his signature and, despite having an initial bid of £21 million rejected this weekend, look likely to continue their pursuit over the coming months.
Thomas Tuchel is eager to bolster his attacking unit, but they will likely look at players who will hold more of a resale value going forward as new owner Todd Boehly looks to tweak how the club is run from the free-spending Roman Abramovich era.
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Once again, one player who has emerged as a target is Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele. Chelsea initially targeted a move for the 25-year-old back in January, but they couldn't get a deal over the line. Despite a change in leadership, he remains in contention for a reunion with Tuchel.
How could this transfer be linked to Mane's potential exit? The key lies with another Chelsea player. Christian Pulisic once again impressed in flashes last season but struggled for consistency at Stamford Bridge. The American is in contention to replace Mane at Liverpool if the Senegalese forward leaves this summer.
Chelsea are only likely to invest in their frontline after shipping out some unneeded assets, with the club reportedly open to selling Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner this summer. So Liverpool's sale of Mane could lead to a domino effect in which Pulisic leaves for Anfield and Chelsea to have space to bring in Dembele.
