Djenepo: I can be better than Mane

by Staff Reporter

Thursday Jun 04, 2020. 13:00

Mali international and Southampton winger Moussa Djenepo says he is learning from Liverpool FC superstar Sadio Mane.

Reigning CAF African Footballer of the Year Mane was on the books of English side Southampton between 2014 and 2016, where he set a new Premier League record for the fastest hat-trick (176 seconds).

Before moving to Liverpool where the 28-year-old winger has established himself as one of the best players in the world having finished fourth for the Ballon d’Or and fifth for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award in 2019.

“Sadio is a big inspiration for me. I like him, he’s a very big player,” Djenepo told Talk Sport.

“But I think I can be better [than him] if I work hard. Sadio is a very big player, and I’m young and I need to learn more.

“In the future we will see. I will do my best to become the next Sadio Mane.”

Djenepo has netted twice in 13 Premier League matches for Southampton this season having joined the club from Belgian side Standard Liege last June.

The 21-year-old player praised Mane’s former Liverpool teammate Danny Ings, who is Southampton’s top goalscorer in the Premier League thus far season with 15 goals.

“It was a big motivation for me, that a big player like Danny took time to text you when you are young like I am,” he said.

“It meant everything to me. Danny’s a very, very good guy. He’s given me so much advice in training, we smile together and I’m trying to teach him the French language as well.”

The current Premier League season is set to resume on June 17 having been halted due to the coronavirus pandemic last March.