Liverpool may miss out on ‘heir to Mane’ as Aston Villa ready transfer move

Liverpool could miss out on signing their ‘heir to Sadio Mane’ after Aston Villa reportedly expressed an interest in Jeremy Doku. Villa will supposedly explore a deal for Rennes star Doku if their pursuit of Moussa Diaby falls through. 

The Premier League outfit have supposedly seen a bid of £30million for Diaby rejected by Bayer Leverkusen. It is claimed that they will bid for the winger again. 

But should Villa turn their attention to Doku instead, it could mean that Liverpool miss out on a man who Jurgen Klopp supposedly identified as Mane’s replacement. Doku’s father recently recalled visiting Liverpool when his son was a teenager to meet the Reds boss alongside then-U18 head coach Steven Gerrard. 

“At the age of sixteen Jeremy could sign a pro contract with Anderlecht, but even then Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Ajax and PSV were interested,” Doku’s father told Het Niewsblad.

“We then visited clubs like Liverpool and Ajax, but Stellar Group left us the choice. My (David, Doku’s father) preference was Liverpool. How we were received there, damn.

“Trainer Klopp explained how he saw a potential successor to Sadio Mane in Jeremy. Steven Gerrard showed us videos with tactical analysis.

“At the training complex [Simon] Mignolet, [Sadio] Mane and [Georginio] Wijnaldum came to talk to us. Yet Jeremy was distracted by the talk. Liverpool panicked.”

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool may now miss out on that signing. He reports that Villa have seen a £30m bid rejected for top target Diaby and will make another bid. 

It is claimed that Doku is seen as an alternative by Villa if they fail to sign Diaby. Unai Emery’s big-spending summer is set to see an array of high-profile arrivals at Villa Park ahead of the club’s Europa League campaign.