Salah replacements begin to emerge as summer exit looks likely
????❗???????? ???? #LFC ⚫ #Ittihad❗
— Ekrem KONUR (@Ekremkonur) February 28, 2024
Liverpool plan to sell Mohamed Salah to Saudi Pro League clubs in the summer transfer window for offers over 100 million euros if contract negotiations fail.
▫️Al-Ittihad remains interested in the 31-year-old Egyptian star player. https://t.co/370TnoELNf pic.twitter.com/h66I5yRWrE
While the vast majority of Liverpool fans won’t want to confront this potential scenario, it appears as though club legend, Mohamed Salah, is set to depart Anfield in the summer. Jurgen Klopp’s surprise announcement was enough to deal with, but Reds fans will also have to adapt to life without their Egyptian king next season.
Salah will go down in history as one of Liverpool’s best ever players
One thing’s for sure, should Mohamed Salah depart the club, he will go down in history as one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players. The former Basel hotshot has won it all with the club, while also becoming the Reds’ record goalscorer in the Premier League after scoring twice against rivals Manchester United.
Salah certainly knows how to shine in a Liverpool shirt. He’s a player fans back for big points hauls in Premier League fantasy football, he’s raved about on podcasts, and he is backed even further by fans who fancy him in terms of English Premier League top goalscorer odds, with the world-class star currently priced at 7/1 to top the scoring charts come the end of the season. Essentially, Salah is Liverpool’s talisman. He’s a phenomenon.
Saudi Arabia move seems likely
Although it will be tough for Salah to walk away from Liverpool after being responsible for some of the finest moments in the clubs’ history, the lure of the Saudi Pro League will undoubtedly be too strong. Salah was the subject of a record £150million bid from champions Al-Ittihad last summer and it appears as though they’re desperate to land their man.
At the age of 31, and with every prestigious domestic title to his name, Salah can depart the club knowing that he has had a dramatic impact on it. Alongside Jurgen Klopp, the former Chelsea player has helped transform the fortunes of Liverpool and elevate the team’s status in the process. But who are the early contenders to fill the void left by Salah?
West Ham’s Bowen is at the top of the list
????️| Jarrod Bowen is a player Liverpool admire and have been watching for a number of seasons, the departure of Salah could see Liverpool bring him in as replacement???? [@TheAthleticFC] pic.twitter.com/ThDFblikjl
— PurelyFootball ℗ (@PurelyFootball) September 11, 2023
A player who would slot perfectly into Liverpool’s line-up, Jarrod Bowen is reportedly at the top of the list when it comes to Salah replacements. The former Hereford man, who West Ham fans refer to as the “claret and blue Salah”, has been impressing in the Premier League for a good few years now.
Even Jurgen Klopp himself is an admirer, after once describing the Hammers star as his “favourite player” apart from his own. When the German boss departs the club in the summer, he might leave with a few recommendations, and Bowen could certainly be one of them.
Federico Chiesa is another name in the frame
Should a move for Jarrod Bowen fail to materialise, then trying to tempt Federico Chiesa to Anfield makes a lot of sense. A player the clubs’ hierarchy have been monitoring for quite some time, the 26-year-old is out of contract next summer. A dangerous attacker who can operate on either flank or as a number 10, Chiesa is likely to depart Juventus, with Liverpool reportedly turning his head.
Leroy Sane might be an option
Given the mess that is unfolding at Bayern Munich this season, Leroy Sane is another talent who is consistently linked with a return to English football. The former Manchester City star has only 18 months left on his Bayern contract and is reportedly considering his options. Should Liverpool put their faith in the German to replace Salah’s output, then Sane would surely jump at the chance to join the club.
