Nathan Redmond’s transfer to Southampton has reportedly moved Liverpool one step closer to signing transfer target Sadio Mane, but the Reds are said to have failed with a £12 million offer for UEFA Euro 2016 breakout star Marko Pjaca.

As reported by Neil Macdonald of the Liverpool Echo, Redmond made an £11 million switch from Norwich City to Southampton on Saturday, with many believing the young forward is a direct replacement for Mane.

The Saints ace is expected to cost the Reds roughly £30 million, which would net Southampton a nice profit, as he cost the club just £10 million when they poached him from Red Bull Salzburg two years ago.

The Daily Mail‘s Lee Clayton doesn’t doubt Mane is on his way to Anfield:

Mane scored 11 Premier League goals last season, including eight in the final eight matches, and he could add an element of raw pace and physical ability to Liverpool’s attack. While he struggles with consistency, he has shown a remarkable scoring ability when he’s on form, and fans must be hoping manager Jurgen Klopp could help him develop further.

The former Borussia Dortmund boss stood out for his ability to develop raw, physical talents during his time in Germany, finding plenty of success with Pierre-Emerick Aubemayeng. When the Gabon international arrived at Signal Iduna Park, he was a talented but unrefined winger, yet Klopp turned him into one of Europe’s most prolific strikers in a short time.

Mane looks an awful lot like Aubameyang did when he moved to Dortmund, but Kristian Walsh of the Liverpool Echo wondered whether he’s what the Reds need:

Of his 11 league goals last season, eight of them came in the final eight games of the campaign. He went 16 games without a goal – a run bookended by his strikes, home and away, against the Reds. In his 37 appearances last season, just eight of them saw him find the net.

He can struggle for consistency, as evidenced by being relegated to the bench for a period under Koeman – though that, also, had roots in his desire to move in January. Capable of moments of magic, he can also go through periods without making an impact.

In Divock Origi, Klopp has a talented, developing athlete to work with, and one has to assume a healthy Daniel Sturridge would be the team’s first-choice starter up top next season.

Mane would be an excellent depth option, and if Klopp can work with the Senegal international, his long-term potential is tantalising. But £30 million is a hefty fee to pay for a player who tends to disappear for large stretches of the season and doesn’t project as an immediate first-teamer.

Meanwhile, Croatian starlet Pjaca is predictably being linked with a number of teams after his starring performance for the Vatreni during Euro 2016, with La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Metro‘s Mark Brus) reporting his club, Dinamo Zagreb, have turned down an offer of £12 million from Liverpool for the 21-year-old.

Inter Milan and AS Roma are also linked with the midfielder, whose team were knocked out of the tournament by Portugal on Saturday, losing 1-0 after extra time.

Despite several strong performances during the group stage, Pjaca spent the majority of Saturday’s clash on the bench, much to the disbelief of BT Sport’s James Horncastle:

The youngster made the most of his chances when he did play, however, and the rumour mill has gone into overdrive as a result. His agent, Marko Naletilic, has already revealed there is a lot of interest in his client’s services, speaking to MilanNews.it (h/t Football Italia).

Here’s a look at some of his highlights:

Pjaca has the look of an impressive prospect, blessed with remarkable quickness and dribbling skills, but he’s mostly an unknown, and the speculation is being driven by a handful of showings at Euro 2016.

He’s likely to stay with Zagreb or move to a club that would allow him to develop and showcase his talent―it’s too early for him to make the giant leap up to a Premier League title hopeful.

 

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