Barcelona are credited with considering a £50m bid to buy Salah this summer. They have reportedly made 'positive' contact with his entourage. PSG are said to be keen on the forward, too.
With Jurgen Klopp saying Liverpool 'can't do much more' about Mo's contract extension and a recent worrying update from Fabrizio Romano, it feels that the Egyptian's talks with the club are close to reaching an impasse.
If the Reds decide against extending Mo's deal, they would have to either let him walk away on free transfer in 2023 or sell him for a fee in 2022.
So imagine Liverpool go with the latter and accept a £50m bid for Salah. He leaves Liverpool for Barca and Jurgen Klopp has to come up with a way to replace him.
So Tribuna.com comes up with three options based on previous transfer rumours.
Before we begin, please note that we are not suggesting Liverpool sell Salah in the summer; this article is about exploring what could happen if Mo leaves.
Option 1. Raphinha or Bowen
Both forwards have been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool.
Raphinha's Transfermarkt value is €40m; he will probably go for a lower fee if Leeds get relegated. The Brazilian has all the attributes of a modern winger and his stats are quite good (9 goals and 3 assists in 27 league games so far this season).
Jarrod Bowen would perhaps be more difficult to sign, considering West Ham are reportedly asking £75m for him. His goal contribution figures are way better than those of Raphinha though (8 goals and 10 assists in 28 league games this term).
Option 2. Bellingham or Gavi
This scenario sees Liverpool invest not in a direct replacement for Salah but in an attacking midfielder. Harvey Elliott, whose natural position is that of a right forward, would take Mo's place in the XI.
Bellingham obviously won't come cheap, with Dortmund reportedly demanding around £100m for the Englishman. They would get a fantastic player with a very high ceiling if they splash the cash though.
Gavi would be an interesting option. The Spaniard has a £42m release clause in his contract with Barca. His movement and technique make him a perfect player for Jurgen Klopp. The issue is that Gavi apparently wants to stay at Barcelona, but why not give signing him a try.
Both Jude and Gavi are great at making runs into the centre-right channel which would see them link up with Harvey and Trent. Both are also good at finishing so landing one of them could help Liverpool deal with losing Salah's most important contribution: goals.
Option 3. Minamino
Now this is an option that won't require spending a penny. Liverpool already have a brilliant player who can replace Salah and it's Takumi Minamino.
Some Reds fans don't appreciate how good—and consistent—Taki has been this season. His stats are excellent: he averages a goal every 99 minutes of play (9 goals in 891 minutes), only slightly worse than Mo (a goal every 82 minutes).
Obviously, Minamino has played against weaker opposition in cups but it just tells us that the Japan international does not get enough chances.
There is every indication that if given a run in the first team, Taki could become a crucial player in this Liverpool side.
