With a’versatile’ new Liverpool acquisition, Jurgen Klopp can replicate Sadio Mane’s trick.

During Sadio Mane’s six years at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp developed the Senegalese attacker from a raw prospect to a world-class superstar; he may now try to do the same with Liverpool’s newest acquisition.

Although it’s unclear how Liverpool will do without Sadio Mane in the upcoming campaign, the future looks bright after the club appeared to sign his apparent successor this summer.

Since joining with Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2016, the Senegalese superstar has been crucial to his cause, so it won’t be shocking to see Liverpool struggle a bit without him in the upcoming season. The Reds brought in renowned Darwin Nunez to take his position, but while the Uruguayan will undoubtedly score plenty of goals, he lacks Mane’s adaptability. In football, only few people can.

At Anfield, however, there is opportunity. By finally completing a deal with Fulham for the highly regarded Fabio Carvalho, Liverpool completed what they had begun back in January. It already appears that Klopp has selected the gifted teenager as Mane’s long-term replacement.

One year after his own arrival at Anfield, Klopp moved to sign Mane, a rugged and unpolished 24-year-old attacker who had spent the majority of his time at Southampton acting as Graziano Pelle’s backup striker. The Reds manager used the former Red Bull Salzburg star in a variety of roles throughout time as he took advantage of the player’s versatility.

Mane was first deployed on the right, but after Mohamed Salah joined the team a year later, he voluntarily switched to the left to provide room for the left-footed Egyptian, who preferred and still prefers to cut in from the flank of his worst foot. Following the January purchase of Colombian winger Luis Diaz, Mane shifted into a central position in the previous campaign and flourished when used as a false nine.

The Senegal star’s exceptional malleability made him a crucial component of Liverpool’s offense. Klopp’s latest words suggest that Carvalho may eventually be able to step into Mane’s shoes, even if it is still highly improbable that the new player will do so right away.