Mohamed Salah has left a huge hole for Liverpool to fill. (Image: Getty)
On the final day of the Premier League, Liverpool qualified for the Champions League and attention turned firmly to the summer season. Despite spending a lot of money on transfers last summer, there is a good chance further investment will be needed.
Arne Slott has endured a difficult second season in charge and will be under intense pressure to make the right decisions in the transfer market. While there may have been extenuating circumstances for the team as a whole, the Reds’ title defense fell far short of satisfying the expectations of a large portion of their fan base.
It has already been confirmed that Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson will not be at Anfield next season, with the Premier League and Champions League winning duo parting ways on Sunday. Although further departures are likely to follow, finding a replacement for Salah is likely to be at the top of the club’s priority list.
So what does this summer realistically look like from Liverpool’s perspective? We’ve taken a closer look at their attacking options in particular.
Yann Diomande is always mentioned in connection with Liverpool. The Ivorian winger excelled in his debut season with RB Leipzig, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances.
Leipzig have secured a place in next season’s Champions League and will have considerable leverage in negotiations, with interest reported from other clubs such as Bayern Munich and PSG.
The German team are asking for £87 million, but this valuation is unlikely to fall if Ivory Coast enjoy a good showing at the World Cup, where they have been placed in the same group as Germany, Curacao and Ecuador.
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Alternative options are being considered. One such candidate is Jarrod Bowen, who could be available for a relatively low fee following West Ham’s relegation announced on Sunday.
Bowen has a similar profile to Salah as a wide forward who can provide a goal threat from the right or play centrally. However, he is 10 years older than Diomand, which will likely be reflected in both his valuation this summer and his future resale value.
The arrival of a goalscorer and creator like Diomande should be positive news for Alexander Isak. It would be natural to think that the £125m Swede did not enjoy the debut season he had envisioned following his club-record transfer, but a complete pre-season should prove beneficial.
Yann Diomande is Liverpool’s top target. (Image: Getty)
With Hugo Ekitike not expected to return until January at the earliest, Isak should have the opportunity to be unencumbered by the number nine role. The next question revolves around who else will provide assistance.
Rio Ngmoha may not turn 18 until August, but he’s already started betting on a starting spot on the left side, or at least a more prominent rotation than he’s been given this season, alongside Kodi Gakpo.
The teenager is set to take part in England’s pre-World Cup training camp, if not in the full squad, and further exposure at that level could only benefit his development.
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All of this will allow Florian Wirths to function as an inventive No. 10 within an ambitious front four during games in which Liverpool are expected to dominate. However, there is a good chance that they will need reinforcements behind him, as well as new centre-back Jeremy Jacquet.
There may also be scope to progress beyond regular first-team action, especially if players like Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa can be secured. There is a possibility that Ngumoha will be sued for offering entertainment to Gakpo, and Ngumoha is rapidly increasing his claims for more consistent playing time.
Such a departure would require the addition of an extra player on the left flank to give the youngsters a competitive edge, with Hoffenheim’s Bazmana Toure and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola being mentioned as possible targets.
There have also been rumors of a tentative relationship with Sporting CP star Francisco Trincao. He previously spent a year in the Premier League with Wolves and is a Portugal international who plays the same role as Werts in the number 10 role.
Liverpool’s dream attacking line-up for next season: Ngmoha, Wirtz, Diomande. Isaac.
