Liverpool are set to lose several senior players this summer, and their worst fears could soon be realised regarding Mohamed Salah's next club.
Players who could leave Liverpool this summer
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Former striker Michael Owen believes Liverpool will have to do a “little bit of surgery” on the squad this summer but finding a replacement for the departing Salah is the obvious priority.
Veteran duo Salah and Andy Robertson will leave at the end of the season while the future of goalkeeper Alisson Becker remains in doubt, with reports in Italy claiming personal terms have already been agreed with Juventus.
Arne Slot’s squad needs strengthening at right-back, central midfield and up front but after a £450million outlay last summer, Owen questioned whether there was much left in reserve.
“They are going to have to do only a little bit of surgery on the team; they have spent a fortune (last year),” he told talkSPORT.
“I know they recouped a lot of money last year (around £260m) but they spent a lot of it and I doubt they have any left to spend again but they are going to have to replace Salah, that’s the first port of call.
“There’s no one in the team currently who is like Salah, a right-sided attacker. There are plenty of options going forward but none on the right side.”
The future of Alisson is not the only subject of debate, with midfielder Curtis Jones continuing to be linked with Inter Milan, who tried to sign him in January.
Real Madrid leading the way for Salah
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah before the match
According to Egyptian outlet Mwatan, Salah wants to 'compete in Europe at the highest level' rather than moving purely for financial reasons.
The winger is seeking a 'strong sporting project' and a 'key position within the team', with Real Madrid now 'leading the way'.
Roma, Juventus and Inter Milan are also interested, but are unlikely to have the financial capabilities to get a deal done, while MLS outfit Inter Miami have proven to provide a global platform for ageing superstars.
The report claims Salah is yet to make his decision, but a move to Real Madrid would be the most heartbreaking outcome for Liverpool given their recent rivalry with Los Blancos.
Real have triumphed over the Reds in two Champions League finals in the last decade - once in 2018 and again in 2022 - while Trent Alexander-Arnold's unceremonious move last summer only further soured relations.
Salah recently provided public praise for Alexander-Arnold, revealing he cried when the right-back joined the La Liga giants.
“He’s the only person I cried when he left the club. I cried with his mum. Me, him and his mum. I was crying.”
Alexander-Arnold assisted 13 of Salah's goals during their time together on Liverpool's right flank, and it seems they could be rekindling that connection in the Spanish capital before long.
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