Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane revealed that he looked up to El Hadji Diouf when he was growing up.
Diouf spent three years at Anfield, which saw him loaned out for the last year to Bolton Wanderers. He was involved in spats with club legends Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, as well as spitting at Celtic fans in a European clash.
However Mane hopes to follow the Senegalese’s path and win the African Player of the Year award, having been nominated for the 2016 honour.
“El Hadji Diouf is one of my heroes… I’ll win it one day like him,” Mane told Metro when asked about his nomination.
Diouf wasn’t in Liverpool’s squad for their 2005 Champions League triumph having been sent out on loan to the Trotters; just one of the six English clubs he represented during his lively career. He most recently played for Malaysian side Sabah FA, before being released in 2015.
Meanwhile Mane has made a storming start to life at Anfield after his transfer from Southampton in the summer.
The 24-year-old has scored six goals and created 16 chances in the Premier League this season, including two assists, as his side sit top of the table after 11 matches, seeking their first title for 26 years.
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