Liverpool have 'done due diligence' on 14-goal winger as Mo Salah future remains uncertain

After their final match of the 2023/24 season against Wolves, Liverpool bid an emotional farewell to Jurgen Klopp as he steps down from his role following nine iconic and game-changing years at Anfield. Joël Matip and Thiago were also given their guard of honours and home ground send-offs as they prepare to leave the club when their contracts expire.

The departing player duo will likely not be the only two who leave the club this summer either. Rumours continue to circulate the future of some key members of this Liverpool team but the man who remains in the spotlight is Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian winger is entering the final 12 months of his contract and despite the risk of losing him for free in 2025, there is still no firm indication of where his future lies. Some recent reports have claimed that the club are in talks with Salah over a contract extension and his recent Instagram post also suggests he is planning on committing at least the next season to the Reds.

Salah wrote in the caption of his latest post: “We know that trophies are what count and we will do everything possible to make that happen next season. Our fans deserve it and we will fight like hell.”

However, other contrasting reports in the media continue to make this an ongoing back and forth over whether Salah is or isn’t staying. Saudi Arabia remain interested and recent news from Spain claims that the winger ‘has been contacted’ by Paris Saint-Germain as well as clubs from the Pro League, and it’s likely that Salah will ‘pack his bags’.

With his potential exit still looming above the club, Liverpool can’t afford to be without an adequate replacement if Salah does move on to a new challenge. There aren’t many players in the world who can come straight in and take over the space left by a world class goalscorer like the Egyptian, but that’s where Michael Edwards and new sporting director Richard Hughes have their work cut out.

A number of potential candidates have been linked to an Anfield switch this summer and one man on the radar is Johan Bakayoko. The PSV star has been mentioned in conversation before but journalist Ben Jacobs has confirmed the Reds’ ongoing interest and says that any targets on the shortlist prior to Arne Slot’s arrival likely won’t be changed.

“I don’t expect Liverpool to change many of their targets, which I would expect to have been in place before they actually finalised and subsequently announced Arne Slot’s appointment,” Jacobs told GiveMeSport.

“But what we do know is that Liverpool want a wide player — whether you call that a winger, a creative-minded player, or a wide forward. And it is true that Bakayoko has been scouted, but that doesn’t mean a great deal in modern football. You scout hundreds of players, but he’s one that Liverpool have done their due diligence on.”

While this stage of Liverpool’s interest does not suggest any moves have been made, Bakayoko remains a name linked with the club. The 21-year-old has contributed 14 goals and 14 assists for PSV this season and with his best years ahead of him, his trajectory is only expected to continue upwards.