Liverpool's dull attacking football over the past month has confirmed that Mohamed Salah was not in fact the problem.
No doubt, the Egyptian has plummeted from his typical standards throughout the first half of the 2025/26 campaign, but Arne Slot's side have some deep creative problems that they are still fighting to overcome, with the head coach forced to speak on recent claims that the Premier League champions have become boring.
Liverpool do not identify with a laboured stylistic approach. But then, circumstances have pulled Anfield away from the ascendancy this season, and the recent draw at Arsenal did extend the unbeaten run to ten matches, telling of progress after such a wretched autumnal run.
Salah will soon return from AFCON and hopefully play a part across the business months of the season. But the 33-year-old may well drape the curtain on his Reds career this year, and FSG are ready to sign a successor.
Liverpool submit bid for £44m star
Conor Bradley's agonising knee injury sustained at the Emirates doesn't look good, so it's likely that adding a defender to the ranks will take precedence this month.
But the Merseyside outfit still need more width and danger across the flanks, having failed to match the biggest hitters in the creative department in the Premier League this season.
Premier League 25/26 - xG Charts
Team
(1) Man City
(2) Man United
(3) Chelsea
(4) Arsenal
(5) Brentford
(9) Liverpool
Data via FBref
Expected Goals (xG) is a metric designed to measure the probability of a shot resulting in a goal.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz's respective departures have had a damaging effect on Slot's system, and sporting director Richard Hughes will know by now that external support is needed to smooth out the creases.
Well, Spanish sources certainly suggest he's on the case, having recently revealed that a €50m (£44m) offer has been tabled for the Kuwaiti-born winger, who has recently broken into the first team at Barcelona.
roony-bardghji-barcelona
Bardghji, 20, has shown himself to be a highly talented player, but given that Lamine Yamal tends to hold down the fort in his position at Camp Nou, the Reds might just find they have an inroad.
Why Roony Bardghji could replace Salah
Barcelona signed Bardghji from Copenhagen for only €2m (£1.7m) last summer, having caught the eye for the Danish outfit during his formative years.
Against Manchester United, as a 17-year-old in the Champions League, he put his name on the map.
Could we be looking at the man to replace Salah? Bardghji has actually been described as “one of the great jewels of football" by journalist Albert Blaya Sensat, and he showed this during La Blaugrana's recent demolition of Athletic Bilbao to moe into the final of the Supercopa de Espana, scoring once and assisting twice during the 5-0 win.
Sofascore show that he created four chances, won five duels and completed three dribbles all told, putting in a consummate performance that speaks of his worth on the biggest stage.
There is something Salah-esque about him, producing dazzling displays to complement a natural hunger in front of goal. Barcelona sporting director Deco has actually commented that Bardghji is "similar" to Yamal, so he's got that superstar quality in his veins.
FC Barcelona's Roony Bardghji celebrates scoring their third goal with Lamine Yamal
Still so young. Here's hoping that Salah does in fact stay on for another term, thus allowing this fleet-footed talent to learn from his craft before heading for a lucrative late-career paycheck in the Saudi Pro League.
Praised as a "magnificent talent" by scout Jacek Kulig, Bardghji is beginning to showcase himself as a future superstar, shining for Barcelona and blending artistry with an incisive application of his skillset.
To put that another way, he's showing he's the real deal, not just a showman but a player of substance. Given that he is a unique winger, there's every chance that FSG could be onto something as they push to sign Salah's successor over at Liverpool.
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