Mohamed Salah announced in March that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, but Michael Owen believes there is still a chance he could return to the club this summer
Connor O'Neill Senior Sports Content Creator
08:26, 21 Jun 2026Updated 08:32, 21 Jun 2026
Mohamed Salah bid farewell to Liverpool at the end of the season
Mohamed Salah bid farewell to Liverpool at the end of the season(Image: (Jack Thomas/Getty Images))
Michael Owen reckons Mohamed Salah could still pull off a surprise reversal and remain at Liverpool this summer. Salah confirmed in March that he would be ending his remarkable spell at Anfield when the current campaign concludes.
The attacker struck an arrangement with the Reds allowing him to leave the club without a transfer fee, which followed his public criticism of Arne Slot back in December. Salah subsequently delivered a scathing verdict on Liverpool's playing style and demanded a return to the "heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and wins trophies" after the loss to Aston Villa last month.
However, Slot has since been dismissed and succeeded by Andoni Iraola, and while Owen acknowledges it remains improbable, he suggests there's still a possibility that Salah could re-join Liverpool this summer.
He said: "Is it impossible that there's a U-turn? I think it's not beyond the realm that if Slot had been sacked during the season, Salah might have seen out his contract under a new manager.
"I don't think it's beyond the realms. Maybe they've gone too far, though, now. Obviously now that he's done his wave goodbye and all the rest of it, it's probably gone too far now to make a big U-turn.
"If they sacked Slot five games before the end, then maybe a U-turn could have happened then. Maybe it's still not fully beyond the realms of possibility."
Liverpool confirmed the signing of Victor Munoz on Thursday and have informed RB Leipzig of their intention to pay a big fee for Yan Diomande as they seek to bolster their attacking options.
However, Owen believes West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen is the ideal candidate to fill Salah's boots at Anfield.
"I would say that Liverpool need a right-sided attacking player," he said. "I've mentioned before, I think Jarrod Bowen is a really good solution.
"That being said, they also definitely need a centre-half. Liverpool bought for the future by buying two young players. One did his knee straight away and one did his shoulder.
"(Virgil) Van Dijk and obviously one or two players can play in that position, but I would have thought a centre-half and a right-sided attacking player would be first priority."
Liverpool has snapped up Victor Munoz
Liverpool has snapped up Victor Munoz(Image: Getty Images)
Slot was relieved of his duties following an end-of-season review which concluded that his style of play was no longer suited to the club's needs.
The Dutchman also paid the price for Liverpool's underwhelming defence of their Premier League crown and a campaign that yielded 19 defeats across all competitions.
Owen, speaking via Casino.org, expressed his enthusiasm at the prospect of former Bournemouth manager Iraola taking the reins at Anfield. He said: "You can question most appointments, can't you? There's rarely an absolute perfect fit. But you would say from a positive point of view, he's young, he's hungry.
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"He plays a style of play that Liverpool fans have been used to, certainly in previous years under Jurgen Klopp. There's lots going for him.
"What are the question marks? I guess not having managed at this level or this size of club, and can his style of play sort of last through for a season? Do you burn your players out quickly? I don't know, they're questions that are going to be answered.
"I'm certainly excited by the appointment. Not every appointment is perfect on paper, but they can develop into being perfect. And Iraola's has a lot of the right credentials on paper."