Who Will Replace Mo Salah At Liverpool?

Mo Salah is a Liverpool legend, that’s beyond dispute, but in reality we’re probably coming towards the end of his time at Anfield.

Earlier this season, he aired his grievances with Arne Slot in public, accusing the head coach of throwing him under the bus and blaming him for the team’s poor run of form coming into the winter.

While he has been reintegated into the starting line-up since then, it initially prompted plenty of debate as to whether he’d ever grace the famous red shirt again. Even now, it’s viable that this could prove to be his final year with the Reds.

Liverpool’s Current Season and Salah’s Form

At the time of writing, Liverpool sit sixth in the Premier League. They have won 12 games, drawn six and lost eight, placing them 15 points behind leaders Arsenal. The odds on new betting sites, which often provide the most attractive odds, have them at prices as high as 500/1 to 600/1 to win the title. This is in contrast to 2/5 for the table-topping Gunners.

Despite signs of a resurgence lately, Salah has also underperformed over the last year and has not been the asset that the fans has come to know and love. Sky Sports pundit Tim Sherwood recently added his tuppence worth, saying that he’s “100% certain he will leave the club” at the end of the season.

There have been rumours linking the Egyptian with a move to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League, the club which made a £150m bid for him two-and-a-half years ago. Behind the scenes, the wheels have been turning at Anfield as they search for a possible replacement for the legendary number 11.

Yan Diomande

One player in hot contention to suceed Salah is RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, who is currently on fire in the Bundesliga and contributing to the team’s efforts to return to the Champions League, and has a rapid rise to prominence. Hailing from the Ivory Coast, the 19-year-old had not played for his country at senior level (or even for their under-21s) just 12 months ago. Instead, he was in a B team in the fifth tier of Spanish football.

While Manchester United and Chelsea are said to be hot on his tail, Diomande has not hidden the fact that he’d be interested in joining the Reds. In November, he admitted that he was “a big fan of Liverpool” and that his dream is to play at Anfield. Quite cutely, he also added that it was his father’s favourite team.

His Leipzig contract is set to run until 2030, but this means very little when large transfer fees are put on the table. At a valuation of around £87m, a corresponding offer may tempt the German outfit into selling.

Anthony Gordon

Closer to home, another replacement being talked about is Anthony Gordon. UK tabloids were filled with talk that Liverpool were the frontrunners to sign him over the summer. Formerly of Everton, the Merseyside city is where he feels at home, and his family are all LFC fans.

Man United are also reportedly after him and are ready to spend a large amount on poaching him, with Spanish football website Fichajes claiming that they are lined up to bid £100m for him. The beauty of Gordon is his versatility, being able to slot in behind the striker or anywhere across the forward line.

There are some murmurs of doubt over this transfer. This mainly comes down to his goalscoring record at Newcastle, but his technique is different to Salah’s, often providing more in terms of assists than goals.

Désiré Doué

Désiré Doué currently plays at Paris St Germain. He has formed a fantastic duo with Bradley Barcola, who’s also been named in the Liverpool rumour mill. As part of the Champions League-winning side in 2025, they come with strong reputations. Doué himself became the youngest player to score two goals in a European Cup or Champions League final when netting a brace against Inter Milan last May.

If he does leave PSG, any club buying him must be prepared to spend big, most likely breaking their transfer record. He signed for his current side for a fee of €50m, and at just 19 years of age, there are numerous clubs being linked with him. From Man United to Aston Villa, reports from a Spanish website indicate that “potential negotiations would start at a minimum of €300m.” He is currently valued at €60m by the Transfermarkt website.

Bradley Barcola

Lastly comes Barcola, also of PSG. Oddly, if they were scoop another Liverpool target in Diomande, then it could open up the possibility of the Frenchman leaving the Parc des Princes. The difference is that with the Ivory Coast winger, the Reds would be taking somewhat of a gamble. He is a relatively new prospect and still quite unproven at the top level.

Barcola comes with a more impressive track record, and his name carries some weight. At PSG, he is often overlooked, and Liverpool have reportedly been after him for some time. He would bring experience and gravitas that Diomande couldn’t provide just yet.

It seems that this summer will be when the big decision is made. As LFC’s highest-paid player, Salah’s departure will free up a large amount of cash whenever it happens, and whoever comes in will almost certainly be a heavy hitter with a lofty price tag.

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