Liverpool and Manchester United are in a battle over a deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers’ highly rated attacking midfielder Mateus Mané next summer, according to Fichajes.
After several substitute appearances, Mane was handed his first start on December 27, 2025, in a 2-1 away defeat to Liverpool at Anfield and has since established himself as a regular in the side.
Having not featured at all earlier in the campaign under former head coach Vitor Pereira, Mané’s fortunes have shifted since Rob Edwards took charge. He has scored twice and added two assists, with eye-catching performances against Manchester United and Liverpool, which have understandably drawn attention from both clubs.
According to Fichajes, Liverpool are already looking to steal a march on their rivals by holding direct talks to present their project and discuss the 18-year-old’s potential transfer to Anfield.
The report adds that the Premier League defending champions believe his qualities align with their recruitment strategy of signing promising players and that they are aware the attacking ace is also attracting interest from other clubs, including United.
The Red Devils have also expressed interest in Mane and are closely monitoring his progress at the Molineux with a potential summer swoop in sight, depending on Wolves’ valuation, Fichajes adds.
Battle
With three years left on his contract, the Spanish outlet reports that the West Midlands club have slapped a £50m price tag on the Portuguese-born England U18 international, a fee Liverpool are willing to risk, citing a potential increase in the future due to his talent.
Both clubs have invested heavily in top-level youth recruitment in recent years, while still strengthening their senior squads with experienced additions.
At Liverpool, Rio Ngumoha has already begun to make his mark after arriving from the Chelsea Cobham Academy. The Merseyside club also secured Senegal U17 talent Talla Ndiaye from Amitie FC as well as 17-year-old centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe from Austria Wien.
Meanwhile, United have focused on emerging prospects such as Harley Emsden-James, Enzo Kana-Biyik, Diego Leon and Cristian Orozco. Ayden Heaven, signed from Arsenal, has already stepped into a prominent first-team role.
Following the big-money sales of Pedro Neto, Matheus Nunes, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Matheus Cunha, Wolves have proven to be tough negotiators. They are unlikely to budge on their £50m valuation of Mane, so it’ll be interesting to see which club matches their valuation next summer.
