Todd Boehly is edging closer to appointing Mauricio Pochettino as the new Chelsea manager following the sacking of Graham Potter a few weeks ago, and he will be hoping it ushers in a new era for the club.
Sky Sports claims that the former Tottenham Hotspur manager could be formally announced as soon as next week, and this could allow him a few weeks to assess his squad before a crucial pre-season.
He could also be eyeing up a dream first signing by the looks of it, with Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane recently linked with a surprise move to the Stamford Bridge side, according to Football Insider.
The former Liverpool player hasn’t enjoyed the best debut campaign in Germany, and with the move turning sour, Chelsea could potentially lure him back to the Premier League, with Bayern looking to recoup the majority, if not all, of the £27m they spent on him last summer.
Could Sadio Mane join Chelsea this summer?
Pochettino will know Mane well from his time in England, and a move would be more than welcome at Chelsea, who have been rather toothless in attack this term with just 30 goals in 32 Premier League games.
The Senegal star was dubbed “brutal” by Jurgen Klopp for his performances towards the end of last season, and he is also statistically similar to Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus, according to FBref, suggesting he could be an excellent addition for the Blues.
FBref considers the Gunners’ Brazilian striker as the most similar player to Mane across Europe’s top five leagues, and considering how much of an impact Jesus has made at the Gunners this season – combined with his 95 goals for Manchester City – it isn’t a bad comparison to have, and we reckon Pochettino would love someone in a similar mould at the club next term.
This season has seen the two players register similar statistics with regard to goals (nine to seven), shots on target per game (1.42 to 1.38), goal-creating actions (both ten) and touches in the attacking penalty area (153 to 117), clearly suggesting they both offer an excellent attacking output which guarantees plenty of chances for their respective teams.
WhoScored also suggests that both Jesus and Mane like to cut inside often, while their main strengths are finishing and headed attempts, proving when being played out wide or through the middle, they possess a natural attacking intent.
We think bringing Mane to Chelsea would be a dream first signing for Pochettino, and if the winger could replicate the form he displayed during his six years at Liverpool, they could well challenge for honours next season.
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