Real Madrid Transfer News: Zinedine Zidane to Pursue Liverpool's Sadio Mane

Real Madrid have reportedly resumed their interest in Liverpool forward Sadio Mane after manager Zinedine Zidane instructed his club to launch a move for the attacker. 

Los Blancos were linked with the Senegal international before Zidane left the helm in May 2018, and France Football (h/t MailOnline's Danny Gallagher) reported they are interested once again.

Mane is challenging for the Premier League's Golden Boot with 17 goals, while Liverpool are in contention for the title this season.

It was suggested that Mane had even agreed a contract with Zidane's Real before the Frenchman announced his surprise decision to leave the club, having won three successive UEFA Champions League titles in Madrid.

Zidane return to Real's helm earlier this month after the firing of Santiago Solari, and attention will now turn to how they can solve the squad's woes following a forgettable 2018-19 campaign.

Real didn't adequately replace Cristiano Ronaldo following his £100 million departure for Turin soon after Zidane's exit, while star winger Gareth Bale didn't get along well with Zidane during his first spell in charge.

Mane, 26, has already matched his goal tally for last season with 20 strikes in all competitions, and Liverpool celebrated his lethal form in what's likely to be the best scoring season of his career so far:

Liverpool signed the 26-year-old from Southampton for £34 million in the summer of 2016, and Mane has been one of the best signings of Jurgen Klopp's reign, both in terms of value and output.

The Telegraph's Chris Bascombe (h/t Anfield HQ) recently compared his recent goal returns against those of Manchester City ace Raheem Sterling:

Real have had a nightmarish season and will finish without a major trophy for the first time since 2014-15, but it seems likely big changes will be made this summer.

Duncan Castles at the Daily Record reported Real still hold an interest in Eden Hazard, but Chelsea rejected an £85 million offer for him.

Mohamed Salah has 17 Premier League goals this season but has scored just once in his last nine games for Liverpool, directing attention toward some of Klopp's other elite stars.

Despite Mane's success this season, sportswriter Kristian Walsh suggested Salah is doing more for his team-mate than some would give credit for:

Mane signed a new contract until June 2023 at Anfield in November, but the offer of a move to the Santiago Bernabeu is an opportunity that could threaten to break up Liverpool's leading line this summer.