Three Salah replacements identified as top Liverpool source states Arsenal capture is ‘virtually impossible’

Liverpool will be weighing up Mohamed Salah’s replacement as the speculation surrounding the Egyptian forward won’t be going away anytime soon.

While the Premier League transfer window has now closed, clubs from Saudi Arabia can continue to sign players until Thursday.

Al-Ittihad are prepared to pay as much as £200m to sign the 31-year-old, but Liverpool don’t want to lose him at this stage.

Even if Al-Ittihad aren’t able to land Salah’s signature this summer, they have been tipped to try again in 2024. His contract with Liverpool runs until 2025 and the Reds would be wise to consider his long-term replacement.

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka was mentioned as a potential option to replace Salah, but Liverpool journalist Neil Jones has described this as ‘virtually impossible’.

Jones also thinks that moves for Tottenham’s Son Heung-min and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen would be equally unlikely due to different factors.

“Life after Salah is something Liverpool, of course, will know they have to prepare for,” Jones told Caught Offside. “Even if they are to resist this latest Saudi assault, you would feel like it would only be a matter of time before it rears its head again, and with Salah having less than two years remaining on his Reds contract, it feels unlikely that he would sign another

“If I look at players Liverpool have liked previously, none jump out now as obvious signings. Bukayo Saka would be virtually impossible to get out of Arsenal, while Son Heung-min’s age makes him a no-go.

“Jarrod Bowen probably isn’t at the level required, whereas the likes of Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman and Federico Chiesa have all had their ups and downs. Chiesa was definitely someone Liverpool looked at previously.”

Several of those moves seem to be out of the realms of possibility, but Jones has identified three alternative targets that Liverpool could look towards.

“If Salah was to leave, I would lean towards Liverpool maybe targeting someone a little different in terms of profile; still quick, still capable of scoring and creating, but maybe not someone who will simply look to take over from Salah as the main goalscorer,” Jones added.

“I love Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at Napoli, Rafa Leao of Milan is a really interesting player, and I’m convinced that Brighton’s Evan Ferguson is bound for the top. Whoever they did sign, however, would have huge boots to fill!”

Ferguson is certainly a player of interest for plenty of top clubs as Man City have recently thrown their hat in the ring to sign the teenager.

Liverpool could be left in a tricky spot if Salah does decide to leave, but they certainly have plenty of options to consider as his replacement.

READ MORE: Jordan Henderson is a ‘slithery hypocrite’ and Liverpool will challenge without him