Reported Aston Villa target Pape Matar Sarr has been likened to Sadio Mane in a glowing endorsement from Senegal manager Aliou Cisse. 18-year-old Sarr is being linked with a move to the Premier League this summer after a stunning breakthrough season in France with Ligue 1 side Metz. Sarr’s talent saw him fast-tracked in the senior Senegal squad in March and manager Cisse has no doubt he is destined for big things.
Aliou Cisse said: “Pape Matar Sarr is a boy with a great future, he is steeped in talent.”
A ball-winning midfielder who has the engine to run from box to box, Sarr’s playing style has little in common with that of Mane’s, who moved into joint-third place in Senegal’s all-time top scorer list this week. Instead, Cisse believes Sarr has the same intelligence and adaptability as the Liverpool forward to play in a number of different positions – and the Villa-linked youngster will become a key player for his country as a result.
Aliou Cisse added: “For me, he is like Sadio Mane. It’s true he has less experience than Mane and has proven less than him, but he is capable of playing in several systems. We rely heavily on him.”
Villa sent Ross Barkley back to Chelsea after his loan expired at the end of the season and could bulk up Smith’s options in the middle of the park.
