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On his game, Sadio Mane may be Southampton's best player. Unfortunately for Saints, Mane was seemingly not on his game until late in the season. He started the season slowly, got worse, which included an extremely long period of no goals, but then, with the rest of the team, got a lot better.
15 goals and 6 assists paced Mane's season, with six goals in his final five games. Mane really played a huge part in the team's final run which earned them a Europa League spot on the final day.
His dribbling with the ball is typically strong, he makes runs at a good rate and is very creative in doing so. He is able to play a one-two passing style as well, which really helps in going in on goal. He can finish pretty well too.
Overall, it'll be disappointing if Saints lose Sadio Mane this season. He is a bright player with a bright future, but could also become Southampton's highest sold player ever. So if Saints are able to use his money to sign two or three guys for the squad for next season, then so be it. We will miss Mane should he leave though. Sadio keeps defenses on their toes, and causes numerous amounts of issues.
SMM FINAL GRADE: 7.5/10
SMM Summary: Saints best player with a good mindset, fully fit, and up to speed, but he wasn't for much of the season. He was awful early on, for most of the season really, and turned it on for the final set of matches, which could be taken that he was only trying to impress the bigger clubs. With Ronald Koeman gone, it has been reported that there is a better chance of him staying because of his dislike and rifts with Koeman. That chance is still slim however, but if he signs a new contract and commits to the long-term, he could play a huge role next season.