Liverpool Reportedly Open Sadio Mane Contract Talks, Club 'Confident' over Deal

Liverpool have reportedly opened talks with Sadio Mane over a lucrative contract extension and are said to be confident their star winger will extend his stay at Anfield. 

Mane scored 20 goals last season, and John Percy of the Telegraph wrote the Senegal international will be the latest of Jurgen Klopp's stars the club attempts to tie down on a long-term basis.

The 26-year-old would join attacking partners Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in extending his stay.  Each of his team-mates penned new five-year deals with the Merseysiders in recent months.

All three players have been key to Liverpool's transformation under Klopp and were crucial figures during last season's run to the UEFA Champions League final. 

Blogger Leanne Prescott underlined the important role Mane has played in raising Reds expectations in the last two full seasons under Klopp:

Mane arrived at Anfield from Southampton for £34 million in the summer of 2016, and he excelled in a wide role following Philippe Coutinho's departure for Barcelona in January.

The Senegalese star spoke to Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph in March and opened up on why he enjoys playing the attacking style of football Liverpool have come to embrace under their German manager:

"Don't you prefer to watch attacking football, too? It is more enjoyable. For sure. I prefer Liverpool. The way we play is good for all of our players. 

"It is not just me who would think like that. But you have to respect a different strategy. Not everyone can play the same way. I would prefer to play for and against an attacking team, but I am now used to playing against defensive teams. Most play that way against us now."

Liverpool supporters will have been pleased to see new deals signed by Firmino and Salah. Keeping this threesome together feels like an essential piece of business if the club are to sustain their rise, and sports writer Mootaz Chehade wrote at the time of Salah's extension that Mane's own deal was closer than it seemed:

Nearly one month on and there's yet to be official confirmation of Mane penning his new terms, although Klopp has made clear his intention to keep hold of a players he sees as a star of the highest order, per Percy's report:

“When I have spoken about the mood in the club, it's not only in the stands - we are Liverpool as a team and the boys want to be part of it," he said. "That's really cool and it's a big achievement for the club because these boys, Bobby Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, and a lot of the others as well, could play for pretty much any team in the world."

James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo wrote that Klopp feels Liverpool are no longer a "stepping stone" to Europe's elite, and after losing to Real Madrid in last term's UEFA Champions League final, it seems his stars believe it.

The club have shown serious intent to evolve by making Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker the most expensive defender and goalkeeper in the world, respectively, moves that will likely attract more top talent.

Mane is coming off the back of his best season since moving to England and is on an upward trajectory with Liverpool, and the club hope to see through his development with the offer of a new long-term contract.