Liverpool will wave goodbye to Mohamed Salah after nine years and many goals this summer and discussions have already been held internally about how they can replace him
Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool trains alongside Mohamed Salah
Dominik Szoboszlai has spoken about life at Liverpool without Mohamed Salah(Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
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Dominik Szoboszlai has backed up Arne Slot's assertion that responsibility should fall upon last summer's big-money signings to replace Mohamed Salah at Liverpool next season. Liverpool are preparing for life without Salah after the 33-year-old announced he would leave the club at the end of the campaign.
Salah has 256 goals and 122 assists in 437 games for Liverpool and, even though his performances have dipped this season, he has still contributed 11 goals and nine assists in 36 games across all competitions. Liverpool have struggled in attack at times this season, with fitness issues and a lack of consistency undermining their performances.
Alexander Isak was the headline £125million signing in the summer but has barely featured, while fellow new arrivals Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz are yet to consistently hit the heights Liverpool expected. Szoboszlai says that, having had a season to bed in, the attacking trio must step up to the plate once Salah has left next season.
“I can mention Mo, last season he won the Premier League for us, with his numbers," Szoboszlai told Prime Video ahead of Liverpool's second leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night. "Maybe he’s not at this level right now, which he knows. Maybe people were expecting more from the (new) guys who came in.
"But to come to the Premier League is not that easy. I can’t remember a player who came to the Premier League directly and didn’t show any setbacks. We need to give them time, to give them confidence, and trust me, if they have time and confidence, they will be needed in the future of Liverpool."
The Liverpool midfielder's words echo those of his manager, who addressed the "impossible" task of replacing Salah earlier in the month. "Of course we do," Slot said earlier in April when asked if Liverpool had a plan for replacing Salah.
Arne Slot, head coach of Liverpool, acknowledges Mohamed Salah of Liverpool as he is substituted during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City and Liverpool on April 04, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Arne Slot has to replace Mohamed Salah(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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"We are not starting to work on it now because we are constantly working on where we can improve. There is not a lot talked about this but it is 88 minutes that Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz were together on the pitch together.
"So let’s first find out and work out how that works together and that can give us so much more. It is never one player who can replace Mo. Otherwise there would be 15 or 20 Mo’s and he is one of a kind, which is why he is so special. You cannot find a Mo replacement. Maybe you can but he would not be available."
He added: replacing Mo on a one-on-one is probably impossible. So we have to find a way of making it work that the team is stronger but it would already make our team much stronger if we've got Alex, Hugo and Florian together available for a bit more than 88 minutes this year."
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