Tuesday talking point: ‘Mane bid matches Thiago one – but these are entirely different circumstances’

Jordan Chamberlain, Empire of the Kop, external

Bayern Munich’s reported opening bid of £21m for Sadio Mane, external is a little insulting.

What could Liverpool do with that money in any attempt to replace the great Senegalese? Not very much.

Interestingly, the offer matches what Liverpool paid Bayern two years back for Thiago Alcantara. However, while the Spaniard also had one year left on his contract and a desire to leave, he was injury prone and, importantly, a controlling midfielder.

Mane is a goalscoring attacker, and just behind Karim Benzema in the running for this year’s Ballon d’Or. These are entirely different circumstances.

Annoyingly, it looks like the saga will run throughout the summer, which then makes Liverpool’s chances of securing an apt replacement all the trickier.

With Mane playing his best stuff last season through the middle, and Divock Origi also departing, it’s a centre-forward the Reds should focus on.

Christopher Nkunku might be a terrific option. He’s fast, scores goals, assists and, crucially, plays for a selling club in RB Leipzig.