Van Dijk is the overwhelming favourite to clinch the award in December, becoming the first defender to claim it since 2006 World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro and the first Liverpool player since Michael Owen in 2001.
The Dutchma’s put in impressive displays, as the Reds won the Champions League by beating Tottenham in the final in June.
But Mane scored four goals in the competition and shared last season’s Premier League Golden Boot with his teammate Mohamed Salah and Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
When asked who should win the Ballon d’Or by beIN Sports during a Twitter Q&A, Wenger said: “Mane was the outstanding character, I would say – because he is a fighter… and efficient.
“He’s not scared of anybody. At the moment, he deserves huge credit.”
