Liverpool has dropped a hint over the future of Mohamed Salah's iconic number 11 shirt, with the club yet to decide who will take up the number after the Egyptian King's departure
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool appears emotional as he acknowledges the fans following his final appearance for the club during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Brentford
Mohamed Salah departed Liverpool at the end of last season(Image: (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images))
Liverpool is actively in the market for attacking reinforcements before the transfer deadline, having waved goodbye to the long-serving Mohamed Salah at the end of last season.
Salah wore the number 11 shirt during his time at Anfield, which became vacant when Roberto Firmino switched to number nine in 2017. The Egyptian is arguably one of the most iconic players to have ever worn the number 11.
It is for that reason that whoever takes it on will have enormous shoes to fill in the future, and the club has hinted as much in one of its recent advertisements for the Google Pixel. In a clip shared on social media, Alexander Isak and Jeremie Frimpong can be heard discussing 'the 11' and "who got it."
Ryan Gravenberch, overhearing the conversation, questions when the decision was made and how it was made without any discussion. Frimpong then makes it clear they were talking about the Google Pixel 11 and not, in fact, Salah's iconic shirt number.
While a funny skit on the surface, it certainly echoes the sentiment that it's a significant decision for the club moving forward. As of yet, the number has not been passed on, with Luis Diaz's former number 23 being given to the only attacking arrival of the summer so far, Victor Munoz.
It could certainly be inferred that Liverpool is waiting to complete its transfer business, with Paris Saint-Germain duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye the two players most heavily linked with moves to Anfield. That being said, Barcola may opt to retain the number 29 he currently wears in Paris, given the number has been vacant at Liverpool since Athur Melo's departure in 2023.
Mbaye, on the other hand, wears the number 49 at PSG, a number that has been worn by Kaide Gordon in recent years at Liverpool. For the Senegal national team, the teenager wears the number 20, but that will not be an option for him should he move to Anfield, given the number was retired in 2025 following the tragic passing of former striker Diogo Jota.
Of course, Rio Ngumoha currently wears the number 73 following his breakthrough season last term. He looks set to play a more prominent role under Andoni Iraola next term, and while he has previously stated that his current number holds a special place in his heart, he may be eyeing an upgrade ahead of the new season.
In an interview with the club website, Ngumoha admitted the number 11 would be his dream, having idolized Neymar at Barcelona, as well as seeing Salah break all of the records at Liverpool. The youngster is certainly a contender given the promise he's shown in a red shirt so far.
In the meantime, Liverpool's primary focus will be on landing those attacking reinforcements before the transfer deadline. The window closes on September 1, giving the club's hierarchy a little over two weeks to wrap up all of its summer business.
More pressing, though, is the start of the Premier League season, which gets underway this weekend. Liverpool faces a tricky away test against Newcastle United on Sunday before the visit of Nottingham Forest to Anfield a week later.