FSG agree record fee, £50m Salah replacement, Klopp flop axed – Liverpool's dream attack

Arne Slot may not have made any new signings for Liverpool yet, but there is one target at the top of his wishlist: Napoli star Victor Osimhen.

Despite being linked with every major club in Europe, Osimhen hasn’t found a new team this summer – owing much to the Partenopei’s huge demands. It is understood Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis is looking for a figure in excess of £110million to part ways with the 25-year-old – paying such a fee would be a club-record fee for Liverpool.

But gone are the days of being frugal under FSG, with the American owners ready to hand Slot the funds he requires to strengthen the squad after Jurgen Klopp’s departure.

The Dutchman is yet to make a signing since his arrival, but bringing in Osimhen – who scored 15 goals in 25 Serie A appearances last season – would prove they mean business after Klopp’s emotional farewell.

The appeal of joining Liverpool is not lost on the Nigerian. Back in October 2023, it was reported he was close to renewing his contract when Liverpool stepped in and offered him a glimpse of the terms he could get if he joined the Reds. Since then, Osimhen has made it clear he wants to leave the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

The only sticking point could be that PSG have been locked in talks over a deal with Napoli. However, the French club have stalled over paying the exorbitant fee for Osimhen, opening the door for Liverpool to steal in.

The Merseyside giants are not accustomed to paying such large transfer fees, and they would likely need to sell in order to finance any dream move for Osimhen. That could mean offering £85m flop Darwin Nunez for sale after struggling to deliver since Klopp signed him in 2022.

The Uruguayan has demonstrated his incredible form for his country at the Copa America, but a return of 20 goals in 65 Premier League appearances does not represent value for money. As a comparison, Erling Haaland has fired 43 more goals in that time with the virtue of playing one more game.

The 25-year-old arrived from Benfica with a reputation as a pure goalscorer, and his sheer pace and power made him a perfect fit for the physical Premier League. But it just hasn’t worked, with Nunez used from the left wing or even as an impact substitute.

A report from Corriere Dello Sport in May claimed that incoming boss Slot wanted to sign Osimhen and ditch Nunez. It remains to be seen if he still feels that way after pre-season, but finding a buyer for Nunez outside of Saudi Arabia could prove difficult unless PSG show some interest.

Lastly, there is the awkward situation unfolding for Mohamed Salah. The 31-year-old has one year left to run on his contract and, unless he is sold this summer, the Egyptian looks destined to clinch a free transfer away from Liverpool in the summer of 2025.

Liverpool will be planning for that scenario and Slot may decide to lean on one of his players for advice on which player could replace Salah for the long-term. Wataru Endo has already made it clear he would approve any move for his Japan international team-mate Takefusa Kubo, who is thought to be in advanced talks with the club.

A report from Japanese outlet Sponichi claimed that talks between Kubo’s representatives and Liverpool are in the ‘final stages’ and the Reds were prepared to trigger the winger’s £50m release clause to bring him in from Real Sociedad.

Endo also fuelled speculation about Fubo’s potential arrival when discussing which Japanese player he’d like to join him at Anfield. In response, Endo said: “Kubo.”

The midfielder then added: “The search for a replacement for Mohamed Salah has begun, so this is becoming a real area for Liverpool to strengthen. I think the player who can replace him, in the national team, would be Kubo.”

While Liverpool fans themselves would be dreaming of Vinicius Junior or Kylian Mbappe, both players would be regarded as indispensable by Real Madrid. But Fubo – a tricky left-footed winger with a knack for scoring and creating goals – may offer the perfect plug-in-and-play solution if Salah departs.