Salah's Exit: Ranking Liverpool's Potential Replacements

Liverpool face a monumental task in finding a worthy heir to Mohamed Salah after the club confirmed on Tuesday night that the winger will leave in the summer following an agreed departure.

The Reds have wasted no time drawing up a shortlist of potential successors, with numerous names circulating in the transfer rumour mill. Yet the harsh truth remains: most would struggle to reach the heights Salah has scaled during his time at Anfield.

Here's how the leading candidates stack up:

10. Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco)

The Ligue 1 outfit's 24-year-old has recently notched 100 appearances in France's top flight. Tottenham have previously shown interest, with Liverpool also reportedly keen. Rather than a traditional winger, Akliouche operates more as a hybrid number 10, relying on intelligent positioning over raw pace—a significant stylistic departure for the Merseyside club.

9. Yankuba Minteh (Brighton)

The 21-year-old worked under Arne Slot during a loan spell at Feyenoord before Newcastle's sale to Brighton. While competent on the south coast, he remains largely unfulfilled. His goalscoring would require substantial improvement to justify inheriting Salah's crown, though Slot has previously coaxed his best attacking output.

8. Desire Doue (PSG)

PSG's 20-year-old is almost certainly untouchable this summer, with the Parisians taking a firm stance on his future. The left-footed winger possesses genuine star quality but represents a luxury Liverpool can realistically forget about.

7. Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United)

Once a Jurgen Klopp favourite, chatter surrounding Bowen's eventual Liverpool move has quietened, though whispers persist. His availability hinges on West Ham's survival battle; if they stay up, an exit seems improbable. At 29, he's proven in the Premier League but hardly a long-term investment.

6. Raphinha (Barcelona)

This one belongs firmly in fantasy territory. An unreliable rumour mill suggested Barcelona's Brazilian could be targeted, but subsequent silence from credible sources tells its own story. Raphinha would undoubtedly be a stellar replacement, yet Barcelona's reluctance to sell makes this pure wishful thinking.

5. Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig)

The 19-year-old Ivorian has dazzled in the Bundesliga this season, plundering 10 league goals in his debut campaign. Liverpool reportedly plan an early approach. There's sound logic to a long-term investment in his profile, yet Leipzig's valuation—reportedly around €100m with no release clause—represents a prohibitive asking price at this stage.

4. Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao)

Athletic's nine-year contract extension with the Spaniard, secured last summer, presents a formidable obstacle. Williams' name has surfaced alongside Salah's exit news, yet Bilbao have made clear their determination to keep him. He typically operates on the left but spent considerable time on the right during his early first-team years.

3. Moussa Diaby (Al-Ittihad)

After two Saudi campaigns, Diaby appears primed for a European return. His sole Premier League season with Aston Villa hinted at untapped potential, and at 26, time remains on his side. A summer exit from Saudi Arabia could present a genuine opportunity.

2. Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United)

The 25-year-old—identical to Salah's age when joining Roma—operates primarily on the left but isn't entirely uncomfortable on the opposite flank. A boyhood Liverpool supporter and former Everton player, Gordon has enjoyed his finest campaign yet with Newcastle, notching 15 goals across all competitions, including impressive Champions League performances. The Magpies would resist fiercely, but Gordon represents a genuine prospect. That said, he may prove better suited as a Cody Gakpo alternative.

1. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

The 24-year-old France international has seamlessly adapted to Munich's demands, scoring double figures in both seasons while amassing an even more impressive assist tally. Left-footed and cutting in from the right—mirroring Salah's template—Olise possesses Premier League pedigree and elite-club credentials. Bayern's reluctance to negotiate may render him inaccessible regardless.

The sobering reality: Liverpool's ideal targets will prove difficult to extract from their current employers. The club gambled on Salah at £36.5m from Roma and watched him evolve into a player worth substantially more, even rebuffing £150m in 2023. Finding a successor of comparable stature will demand patience, negotiating prowess, and considerable financial firepower.