Liverpool, Man Utd ‘hold formal discussions’ with ‘extraordinary’ £50m teenager before summer transfer window

Liverpool and Manchester United are attempting to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers starlet Mateus Mane in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

The 18-year-old made his full debut for Rob Edwards’s side against the Merseyside giants in a 2-1 Premier League defeat for the Old Gold at Anfield in December.

Since then, Mane has made an impressive impact for Wolves while operating as a versatile midfielder/attacker, starting seven consecutive Premier League games.

The England Under-18 international ranks first among his Wolves teammates for shots (20), shots on target (nine) and expected assists (0.94) since his debut, while he has also played the most minutes of any outfield player in that period (626).

Mane inspired Wolves to their first Premier League win of the season in January when he scored his first senior goal and registered an assist in a 3-0 home victory over West Ham United, before scoring again just four days later in a 1-1 draw at Everton.

Liverpool, Man Utd to battle for Mane this summer?

Mane’s impressive performances are understood to have caught the attention of some top Premier League clubs, including reigning champions Liverpool and Man United, who have already begun outlining their summer transfer plans.

According to Sports Boom, the Merseyside giants and the Red Devils have held formal discussions with Wolves over the possibility of signing Mane ahead of next season.

The report adds that the dossiers compiled during Wolves' recent games against West Ham and Everton are filled with ‘extraordinary’ ratings for Mane, who is hailed as having a ‘footballing brain beyond his years’.

Wolves refused to entertain offers for Mane in the January transfer window, but with the Old Gold staring down the barrel of relegation from the Premier League, there is said to be an expectation that the youngster could become available for a reduced fee in the summer.

Liverpool, Man Utd-linked Mane valued between £40m and £50m

Wolves are in no rush to part ways with Mane and remain keen to keep hold of the midfielder, who is under contract at Molineux until June 2029.

However, interested suitors including Liverpool and Man United are aware that an offer in the region of £40m-£50m could be enough to prise him away from Wolves.

Should Mane decide to join either Liverpool or Man United, he would likely face stern competition for regular starts in the Premier League in the short term, given the wealth of options in midfield and attack at both clubs.

Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike are four Liverpool attackers who are expected to feature regularly when fit and available, while Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones are all options to play in midfield for the Reds.

As for Man United, they spent over £200m last summer on attacking trio Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, who joined a squad already including the likes of Joshua Zirkzee, Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount.