Liverpool journalist’s claim outlines almost ‘impossible’ Mo Salah issue

The future task of replacing Mohamed Salah is likely to be extremely difficult, and probably very expensive, according to a Liverpool journalist. Salah arrived for £34.5m back in 2017 and immediately hit the ground running in a season where he netted over 40 goals in all competitions.

But with the Saudi Arabian Pro League trying desperately to sign the Liverpool star in the summer, and are likely to return again next year, it means that a Salah replacement will need to be sought. Attempting to catch lightning in a bottle once again will surely prove very difficult, as finding someone who can potentially replicate something close to Salah’s goal-scoring and creative output will prove to be an almost impossible task - but what exactly are the parameters that Liverpool will be searching for in a player?

Well, according to journalist Neil Jones, he has revealed the factors that the club will be searching for in a player when they look to replace the Egyptian. Of course, goals are hugely important, but there’s also the fact that they look for motivated individuals with strong work ethics and certain physical make-ups - here’s what he said.

“Clearly, finding another Salah is going to be nigh-on impossible, but if we look at Liverpool’s previous transfer dealings, you can see a clear pattern in terms of the type of profile they would look for; 22-25 years old, 150+ top-level games under their belt, versatility in terms of position, experience in European competition and both a proven level of output, but with the room (and the attitude) to develop quickly and significantly under a coach like Klopp.”

There are not too many that can fill that quota, but it’s clear that in the current transfer climate, a player of such ilk will fetch a high price.

In terms of potential recruits, they will need to be ready for either next summer or 2025, giving them some time to develop. One player who could be ready by then is 22-year-old Takefusa Kubo from Real Sociedad who is beginning to prosper, he fits the bracket age-wise, experience-wise and has a strong attitude, by all accounts.

Pedro Neto, 22, is also a Premier League-proven option who would certainly be easy to acquire and has begun the season in fine form. Other players include Johan Bakayoko (20) Michael Olise (21) Bryan Mbeumo (24) and the previously linked Jarrod Bowen, but he just signed a new long-term deal at West Ham.

When Salah eventually leaves Liverpool, he will leave an incredible legacy and a huge hole in the team that will prove almost impossible to fill. But, there are talented players out there that fit the bill and it will be incredibly interesting to see who finally gets the call-up when the time comes.