Liverpool have been told the three players they should consider to potentially replace Mohamed Salah in the summer transfer window
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool(Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
View 2 Images
Liverpool have been told by one of their former players the three players they should consider on a shortlist to replace Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian’s future at Anfield has been the subject of speculation for more than a year after his initial contract was due to expire at the end of last season.
After signing a new contract last April, the speculation eased somewhat, but the last few months have seen the rumours of a potential exit emerge once again.
Salah’s contract runs until the summer of 2027 and there continues to be speculation of a potential move to Saudi Arabia in the future, potentially even this summer.
The speculation intensified after Salah was dropped from the Liverpool squad last December after giving an interview where he claimed to no longer have a relationship with head coach Arne Slot.
Salah eventually returned to the bench for Liverpool before going on international duty with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, and has become a key player for the Reds once again since his return to Merseyside.
*FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page*
Despite this, Salah continues to be linked with a move away from Liverpool, and former Reds striker Emile Heskey has named three players the club should consider as potential replacements.
Heskey has argued why Paris Saint-Germain star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would be his first-choice, but also believes West Ham's Jarrod Bowen and AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic should also be considered.
“We’re talking about replacing Mohamed Salah and I think as fans you’ve got to look at something different because you can’t replace Mo Salah,” Heskey said in an interview with OLBG.
“I remember one season I was speaking to someone who said Mo’s had a bad season. He’d scored 25 goals! I’d love to have had that bad of a season. We’re talking about someone scoring 20 plus, nearly 30 goals a season for 10 years.
“I think we’ve just got to look at something different and it might not suit the manager anyway to have someone like Mo Salah. He might want to change the formation.
“I know that he was talking about a 4-4-2 diamond midfield and not having high and wide wingers and that would need something different.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Paris Saint-Germain
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Paris Saint-Germain has been tipped to be potential replacement for Mohamed Salah(Image: Nicolas Gaudin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
View 2 Images
“I don’t think you can replace Mo Salah but I do like the lad from PSG, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. He would be my go-to.”
Heskey added: “Would Jarrod Bowen be a downgrade from Mohamed Salah? I think most players are a downgrade compared to Salah but to be honest with you Bowen is a different type of player and he would probably help the formation because he’s going to work a little bit harder than Mo.
“I’m not saying Mo doesn’t work hard but Bowen has a different work rate and work ethic because he’s coming from West Ham and before that the lower leagues. It’s totally different.
“I actually quite like Christian Pulisic. He is very direct. He probably didn’t get as many goals as I would have liked him to get at Chelsea but I thought he gave defences problems.
“Obviously after a good World Cup, being at home with the pressure on him, he is definitely someone who could offer something different to Mohamed Salah or even Cody Gakpo right now.
“Mo left Chelsea to go to Italy and look at what he’s done for Liverpool. I think it’d be great to see someone like Pulisic come back into the Premier League in the same way.
“I’m guessing he would love to show that his time at Chelsea was just a little blip. He was only a young lad when he came over.”
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.