Arsene Wenger has tipped Sadio Mane to win the Ballon D’Or ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as we wait for the nominees to be announced.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Sadio Mané of Liverpool and David De Gea of Manchester United chat during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford on October 20, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 20: Sadio Mané of Liverpool and David De Gea of Manchester United chat during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford on October 20, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, Lionel Messi and the allegedly rapey one are expected to be the favourites for the award but Arsene Wenger has picked Jurgen Klopp’s Senegalese forward as most deserving.

“Mane was the outstanding character,” Wenger told BeIN Sports.

“I would say – because he is a fighter… and efficient. He’s not scared of anybody. At the moment, he deserves huge credit.”

Mane has scored eight goals this season in all competitions (with two assists) on top of the 26 goals (and five assists) he grabbed last season.

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The nominees will be announced today (Monday) and the winner will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on December 2.

Real Madrid’s Luka Modric is the current holder.

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