There’s a growing buzz in the industry about about Mateus Mane, who is attracting strong interest from Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal.
As first reported in my exclusive here for the Daily Briefing, the Wolves wonderkid’s name is on everyone’s lips at the moment, so I thought I’d do some digging to give you more information about his situation.
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Many of my sources state that Wolves are resigned to losing Mane this summer, especially as relegation to the Championship looks a near-certainty at this point, and some early conversations have already taken place over a transfer.
Liverpool leading Mateus Mane transfer battle
“Wolves accept that it’s going to be very hard for them to keep Mateus Mane,” one source told me. “This is one of the most outstanding talents in the country, and his rapid progression is no secret to Premier League scouts.”
There has mostly been a lot ofspeculation about Manchester United pursuing Mane, and while they have been mentioned to me as one of his potential suitors, for now the information I’m getting is that Liverpool are leading the race for the 18-year-old’s signature.
It’s still early enough for things to change, of course, but the Reds have done some early work on this deal, sounding out his representatives, with initial discussions described as “positive”.
Some sources are now saying Liverpool are fully prepared to make a bid for Mane this summer. The England youth international won’t come cheap, however, with Wolves’ current valuation being around the £50m mark. If they truly stand firm on that, then I wouldn’t expect Liverpool to go ahead and pay it.
Arsenal also eyeing Mateus Mane
One name that is yet to get much mention, unless I’m mistaken, is Arsenal. They’re also big admirers of Mane and are keen to mix it up by bringing in more young players this summer.
With a focus on winning trophies straight away, the Gunners prioritised ready-made players like Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, and Martin Zubimendi last year, but there are some key figures behind the scenes who will also push for more signings in a similar vein to William Saliba, who are both good enough to play regularly straight away, but who also have a few years ahead of them before hitting their peak.
That has worked well for Arsenal with Saliba in particular, but also with others like Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli. All of these are players whose value will have shot up since joining the Gunners.
Mane is well liked by Arsenal, but let’s see if they can compete with Liverpool, who for now have the early advantage in the race for his signature.
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