Opinion: Liverpool can finally sign the next Sadio Mane in the next week

It seems as though all signs point towards Liverpool signing Patson Daka for a fee in the region of £25million with an announcement potentially to be made soon.

Liverpool need a new forward - that much is blatantly obvious. Depending on the approach that Jurgen Klopp wants to take, he doesn't need to sign a player that will be an immediate starter.

He's likely planning on making a Diogo Jota-type signing.

Someone that can have a decent impact from the start that can be moulded and developed into a world-class player.

What are the rumours?

Liverpool were linked with a move to sign the forward last year, with Far Post suggesting the Reds were leading the race to sign him and the links have continued and arguably intensified this summer.

Zambian Football claimed that Liverpool could miss out on Patson Daka with West Ham reportedly favourites to sign the forward for £25million but now the Zambian Observer reports that a deal has been agreed to sign him from RB Salzburg.

They claim that a deal could be announced within the next week and with most top targets set to either take part in the European Championships or the Copa America, it would be extremely smart to go for a player without international commitments this summer.

Why would Liverpool want Daka?

He's a goal machine. While he could follow in Takumi Minamino's stead and battle to make an impact in the Premier League, he could also follow in Erling Haaland's footsteps and become one of the best attackers in the world.

While Daka has scored 34 goals this season, he has also assisted 12 and has all the hallmarks of a Jurgen Klopp signing if you look at what he achieved with someone like Sadio Mane.

Liverpool could sign the next Mane by buying Daka this season and they would cut out the middle man and save tens of millions in the process. He also started out at RB Salzburg and has become one of the best players in the world.

The left-winger arrived at Anfield from Southampton for around £34 million and hit the ground running straight away. However, it wasn't just his goals or assists that made him a huge problem for Liverpool's opposition, it was his pace and direct style of play.

Daka is very similar in that aspect even if he's more of a centre-forward. Klopp's side lacks pace down the middle and for all Firmino's trickery on the ball and silky link-up play, he's not the fastest player.

What will it take to sign Daka?

Not much apparently.

A report from Zambian Football claimed at the end of May that RB Salzburg, a club that Liverpool have a tremendous working relationship with, want in the region of £25million.

Beyond that, there seem to be very few obstacles in the way of signing him which is great news as it took several months to negotiate a deal to sign Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig although that had more to do with Liverpool's attempts to negotiate a staggered payment structure.

If reports are true and the Reds genuinely are interested and are closing in on a deal to sign Daka from RB Salzburg, we see no reason why he can't join the club in the next week.

His absence from Zambia's international squad and his manager's admission about him taking care of his club future is significant and could be the key detail.