Mo Salah instinctually knows when to pick his moment – and that most certainly applies to his antics off the pitch as much on it.
The Egyptian was the toast of the travelling Kop as Liverpool came back to secure the lion’s share of the points in a 3-2 win over Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium. It was exactly the kind of performance one might reasonably imagine will have further bolstered his hand at the negotiating table.
A superb showing on the pitch followed by a rare public announcement of discontent with the current state of his contract negotiations with the club.
Ahead of the most important week of football in Liverpool’s 2024/25 season so far – with clashes against Real Madrid and Manchester City due on Wednesday and Sunday respectively – Salah’s comments have invited plenty of debate.
Henry Winter is the latest to offer his two cents on the comments that have taken the footballing world by storm.
The reporter reflected on Jamie Carragher’s take, rightly pointing out that the Reds have to consider what life without the Egyptian King would actually look like regarding potential successors.
“Jamie Carragher, a Liverpool club legend, made a cogent argument on Sky Sports last night about Salah,” the former Chief Football Writer for The Times wrote in his Goal Posts column.
“Carragher talked age, finance, and that no one is irreplaceable. All valid points. Except who is there who succeeds Salah smoothly? Liverpool have a tradition of replacing legends, Kenny Dalglish following Kevin Keegan, but Dalglish was always going to deliver because of his skill, determination and experience. Dalglish was ready.”
At 32 years of age (with Salah set to turn 33 before the end of his current contract at Anfield), Liverpool rightly must weigh up when our No.11 is likely to experience a noteworthy drop-off in performance levels.
The trouble, of course, is that there’s barely been a hint of Father Time coming calling for the legendary forward. Eyebrows were raised and warnings sounded when a hamstring injury saw the footballer miss five league games in 2023/24. Since that point, however, Mo Salah has looked his normal durable self, playing in every single fixture on offer in the 2024/25 season (even if only making a cameo appearance).
Can Liverpool find a right-sided winger who can offer goal contributions in abundance and the same level of dependability? What do our options on the market even look like? What’s genuinely achievable?
“Could Liverpool entice the prodigious Lamine Yamal from Barcelona? Very unlikely. Bukayo Saka from Arsenal? No disrespect but no chance,” Winter continued.
“Rodrygo from Real Madrid? Unlikely, and the 23-year-old Brazilian doesn’t offer the goal return of a Salah.”
Don’t forget that Barcelona have absolutely no intention of parting ways with their potential generational talent.
Lamine Yamal has a £834m [€1bn] release clause and the Catalan giants’ president, Joan Laporta, reportedly turned down a €250m [£211m] bid for the Spaniard’s services in the summer transfer window.
The 17-year-old (contracted until June 2026) is going nowhere in a hurry.
Let’s take a look at the options available on the market and open the casting call to right-sided wingers (including versatile wingers) who are right-footed.
| Players | Goals | Assists | G/A per minutes |
| Mo Salah (left-footed) | 12 | 10 | 65.4 |
| Michael Olise (left-footed) | 7 | 4 | 87.45 |
| Lamine Yamal (left-footed) | 6 | 8 | 93.57 |
| Bukayo Saka (left-footed) | 5 | 8 | 96.92 |
| Bryan Mbeumo (left-footed) | 8 | 1 | 131.22 |
| Johan Bakayoko (left-footed) | 5 | 3 | 147.37 |
| Jeremie Frimpong (right-footed) * | 1 | 6 | 162.14 |
| Rodrygo (right-footed) | 3 | 2 | 183.8 |
| Nico Williams (right-footed) | 2 | 3 | 229 |
| Takefusa Kubo (left-footed) | 3 | 0 | 370.66 |
* Jeremie Frimpong is considered a right wing-back but operates incredibly effectively high up the pitch
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