Jurgen Klopp: Salah, Mane both deserve African Player of the Year

Jurgen Klopp: Salah, Mane both deserve African Player of the Year

Jurgen Klopp has given his verdict on who will become the next African Footballer of the Year between Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.

The Liverpool strikers are for third time in contention for the most coveted individual crown in African football with Salah winning the last two editions.

Salah has won the award for the last two years, while Mane has come in second place behind his Egyptian team-mate on both occasions.

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Mane and Salah have been named in the 3-man shortlist for the award alongside Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the Reds duo are likely to clinch the accolade ahead of their counterpart.

Both stars had a remarkable 2019 winning the Champions League, Club World Cup and the Super Cup for the Merseyside club.

And Kloop was asked who is favourite to scoop the award for CAF's best player in 2019, the German found it difficult to choose between his two players.

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“I have no clue,” Klopp said.

“I love them both, so for me it would be easy – there would be two first places, easy as that.

“I got this week another award so for somebody who is not believing in individual awards, especially not for managers, I got really a lot this year.

“They are both incredible players, so I don’t know what you would decide but somebody will decide it and they both would deserve it. That’s it.”

Salah has 13 goals and seven assists in 26 appearances for Liverpool while Mane has 14 goals and 11 assists in 27 games this season.

The winner of the award will be announced at a ceremony in Hurghada, Egypt, on January 7, 2020.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that Paul Pogba was coach of a team in a charity game played in France during the holiday season.

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