Liverpool co-owner John W. Henry may need to dip into FSG’s deep pockets (Image: Getty)
Liverpool may feel they are well-equipped to cope if Mohamed Salah leaves next summer. But there is a worrying trend amongst four of their players which suggests they will need to spend big in the transfer market to replace him.
After scoring one and assisting two goals in the 5-0 win over West Ham, Salah insisted he is no closer to renewing his deal with the Anfield club. He is free to speak to foreign clubs as of today (New Year’s Day), with interest expected from Saudi Arabian clubs.
But it is mystifying that Liverpool are prepared to let him go when Salah’s record of 29 goals in all competitions for the 2024 calendar year is the most of any player at the club.
His goal tally puts him way above Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo, who scored 20 goals apiece this year.
However, Salah was rested for many of their matches in cup competitions and only played 48 times, while Diaz played in 52 games and Gakpo racked up 56 appearances.
It proves the Egyptian is far more prolific than his team-mates, while Diogo Jota has been injury-prone and their £85million striker Darwin Nunez has struggled to find the net on a regular basis.
Salah’s impact will be felt in the creative department too, as he registered 23 assists for the whole of 2024 – at least 13 more than any other player.
Harvey Elliott is their next highest creator with 10 assists, although the entirety of those came during the 2023-24 campaign. He has managed only six appearances under Arne Slot this term, having spent months out recovering from a broken foot.
Mohamed Salah scored 29 goals and assisted 23 in the 2024 calendar year for Liverpool (Image: Getty)
Nunez is next on nine, although many would argue he should be scoring goals rather than creating for his team-mates.
The fact Diaz and Gakpo do not even make the top three for assists will cause some concerns, and with all four players behind Salah in the goal contribution charts, it begs the question as to how FSG plan for life after his exit.
The short answer is for their American owners to get their chequebook out.
Salah’s £350,000-a-week wages equate to around £18m per annum and they are already part of the budget. Even if it would save them a huge chunk of their wage bill to allow him to leave on a free transfer, the cost in replacing him would likely prove to be significantly higher than keeping him.
Luis Diaz (far left) and Cody Gakpo (centre left) do not measure up to Salah’s incredible statistics (Image: Getty)
Targets such as Eintracht Frankfurt winger Omar Marmoush and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo have been mentioned as potential replacements for Salah. But the pair would cost at least £50m in the modern market, representing a huge outlay for Liverpool’s owners.
It’s clear that Arne Slot would be more than happy to keep the 32-year-old for another season after scoring 17 goals and assisting 12 in 18 Premier League appearances. If the Dutchman loses his star man, the expectation would be that the Reds sign a player of the same ilk.
But unless Liverpool’s head of global football Michael Edwards is about to pull off a sensational deal for Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, there isn’t much they can do to soften the blow if Salah departs.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1994785/Liverpool-transfer-news-FSG-Mohamed-Salah