Sadio Mane is lining up Liverpool's NEXT signing

Liverpool are going to be making plenty of changes this summer and there is one player who Sadio Mane could influence to join the Reds.

While Richard Hughes will be heavily focused on a number of different areas in the squad one of the major overhauls will be in attack.

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Anfield Watch revealed exclusively that the trio of Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz could all be sold.

This is before we even start to mention the now very real possibility of Mohamed Salah departing the club as well considering his contract expires at the end of the season.

Hughes is yet to come to an agreement with him over a new deal and that means as things stand the Egyptian will be departing on a free transfer.

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It also means Liverpool are going to be very busy trying to bring new players in.

Sadio Mane lining up Liverpool's next transfer

One player who Anfield Watch understands has been on the club's radar for a long time is Assane Diao. The club's scouts admired him at Real Betis but saw him as more of a project player rather than a ready made star for the Reds.

Their opinion could have changed since because recently Diao has been linked with a move to Anfield again after starting his career brilliantly in Serie A.

Diao moved to relegation threatened Como FC in the January transfer window and has catapulted his side seven point clear of relegation with five goals in 10 starts.

This brilliant start has attracted the attention of Liverpool and several other clubs. Diao is an ideal profile for the Reds given he is explosive and he is very efficient in front of goal as well.

Standing at 1.85 metres, he isn't necessarily a traditional winger in the mould of Sadio Mane but more of a goal-scorer who can drift into the no.9 role and make an impact in the penalty area.

Diao's form has attracted the attention at international level as well. Born in Senegal but having grown up in Spain, he has represented the Spanish youth national teams so far in his career, even playing for the U21 national team alongside Stefan Bajcetic.

But he has decided to make a huge decision about his future recently.

Diao has opted to represent Senegal, who he is eligible to represent through his parents and he's already accepted a senior national team call-up.

As you can see in the image above former Liverpool star Mane has struck up a good relationship with the youngster immediately after joining up with the squad.

And that relationship could have a huge influence on Diao's future. Given his affiliations to Senegal now and given Mane's affiliation to Liverpool, the prospect of Anfield has definitely gotten closer to becoming a reality for Diao.

In the next few international camps as Mane takes Diao under his wing undoubtedly the conversation will prop up about Liverpool and undoubtedly the club legend will only say positive things.

Which will only lead to Diao being swayed even more towards Liverpool and if Hughes has some common sense he will try to bring him to the club this summer.

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Diao is the kind of talent who can flourish at Anfield and become a major coup.

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