Liverpool agree £30M+ fee for Southampton striker Sadio Mane

Liverpool and Southampton have agreed a fee above £30M for the 24 year old Senegalese striker Sadio Mane.

The player is due to to undergo his medical with Liverpool on Monday and according to the BBC the fee has been agreed between the two clubs.  Southampton had wanted more than £35M for the player.

Mane will follow in the recent footsteps of Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne and Rickie Lambert - all who have made the lengthy trip from St Mary's to Anfield.

Sadio Mane - set to be Liverpool's new striker

Pointing to the future - Sadio Mane set for LFC medical

Whilst the deal has been on the radar for several weeks the move neared completion after Southampton signed Nathan Redmond for £10M from Norwich.

The reds turned to Mane after a move for Mario Gotze disintegrated earlier this summer.

Mane's senior debut came at Metz in France at the age of 19.  Seven months later he moved to Red Bull Salzburg in Austria - scoring 45 goals in 87 appearances in just over 2 seasons.

He transferred to Southampton on deadline day in 2014 for £12M.  His two seasons at St Mary's saw him return a goal every 3 appearances - 25 goals in 75 games.

Last season he scored after 39 seconds against Liverpool - but the reds went on to win 6-1 in the League Cup game.  In the Premier League clash at St Mary's later that season Mane ended a 4 month Premier League drought - when he scored twice as Southampton beat us 3-2.

Mane can also be utilised in wide positions - giving Liverpool something a little different if he is used to complement the existing attacking talent.

As an important player of the Senegalese national side Mane will likely miss a large period of the reds post Christmas fixture list as he appears in the African Cup of Nations which in January 2017 will be held in Gabon.

His arrival is likely to place the most immediate impact on Christian Benteke who was rarely involved towards the end of last season.  Meanwhile Liverpool fans will notice his impressive appearance record over the last four seasons - which is at odds with the injury ravaged time that has hit Sturridge, Ings and at times Divock Origi.

As of Monday a fee of £34M has been reported in the national media with a further £2M linked to LFC qualifying for the Champions League.

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