Liverpool's FOUR-MAN shortlist to replace Mo Salah

Stuart Telford

• 29 Aug 2023 15:56 BST
• 3 min read

Liverpool want to keep Mohamed Salah this summer, but they have a contingency plan in place should the Egyptian be spirited away to Saudi Arabia.

Al-Ittihad are keen to add Salah to their ranks having already acquired Fabinho from Liverpool this summer, and have reportedly offered the Reds €150m and their star winger wages of €200m a year to make a deal.

Liverpool have dismissed their proposal out of hand, however, and Salah's agent insists that the player is happy at Anfield.

READ: CONFIRMED: Liverpool resolute on Salah staying

"If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn't have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC," he tweeted in August.

But Saudi Pro League clubs have proved determined to acquire key targets this summer, adding Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema to the Cristiano Ronaldo signature the secured in January, and Liverpool are manoeuvring behind the scenes.

Felix and more

As revealed by FootballTransfers' insider Steve Kay recently, Liverpool have shortlisted Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix as a potential alternative - and there are more according to Calcio Mercato.

READ: EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool eye Barcelona target Joao Felix as Salah replacement

"Some names to replace Salah are Leroy Sane, of Bayern Munich, who wants to return to the Premier League for family reasons, and Borussia Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi, who's an admirer of Jurgen Klopp," they write of the Bundesliga-based pair.

"Above all, they like Federico Chiesa of Juventus. He is valued at around €60m by the Bianconeri, who are now braced for bid for their Italy international, who they want to keep."

All three of the aforementioned - Felix has a subtly different profile - boast similar pace to Salah, but whether they can replace the Egyptian's goals remains to be seen. Salah scored 30 goals in all competitions last season.

Liverpool could move for another wide attacker even if they keep Salah. They signed Luis Diaz from Porto in January 2022 and Sadio Mane, the player he was signed to succeed, didn't leave for Bayern until that July.