Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has insisted that Liverpool forward Sadio Mane's rumoured end-of-season move to Real Madrid "is basically dead".
Speculation has been growing in recent days that Real are serious about their interest in the Senegal international, who has hit double figures for Premier League goals five seasons running.
Los Blancos are reportedly prepared to offer a player or straight cash for Mane, but Balague claims that Liverpool have no interest in selling and Zinedine Zidane will have to look elsewhere for a marquee signing.
"We do know for certain that Zidane wanted Mane to come [last] summer," Balague said on his YouTube channel. "Conversations took place, as in Real Madrid showed interest in him.
"But of course Zidane left, and that was that. So it was an easy story to recover - and that's what has happened. The story's out there again but the problem is Liverpool have basically no interest whatsoever in getting rid of Mane.
"There is no buyout clause. There is no way to actually get Mane out of Liverpool. So with that in mind I would say that story is basically dead."
Mane has played a direct part in 21 goals in 37 appearances for Liverpool this season, making it his most proficient campaign to date.
Daniel Lewis
