Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has been advised to consider signing Napoli sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, amid ongoing transfer speculation surrounding the Egyptian forward.
Salah has been linked with a move away from Anfield, with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad showing interest in signing him during the summer transfer window.
While Liverpool rejected the bids, former Reds star Stephen Warnock believes that finding a suitable successor for Salah should be a priority for the club.
Warnock suggested that Kvaratskhelia could be an ideal replacement for Salah. Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “Everyone’s replaceable. I’ve said it about Suárez, I’ve said it about Coutinho, and he [Salah] will be replaceable in time.
“I think the big problem is with Salah if you get a £175m offer from Saudi Arabia that’s difficult to say no to. I wouldn’t sell him in January but maybe next season, but only if you’ve got someone else lined up.
“You’d have to have someone exciting lined up, the one player that springs to mind is Kvaratskhelia. He’s the one player you look at where you think he’s young and has potential and can play, but he’s a left-sided player, could he play on the right?”
The 22-year-old Georgian winger had an impressive season with Napoli, scoring 14 goals and providing 17 assists as it won Serie A and reached the Champions League quarter-finals. Klopp himself praised Kvaratskhelia’s abilities after facing him in the competition last season, describing him as a “good player” with speed and versatility.
However, acquiring Kvaratskhelia would come at a significant cost. His agent stated last November that any deal for the winger would be worth around $106m (£87m/€100m), as per the Mirror. Given his performances and potential, it is likely that his price has increased since then.
Salah, meanwhile, continues to shine for Liverpool. The 31-year-old has already scored six goals and provided four assists in all competitions this season. Despite the transfer speculation, Klopp will be keen to retain Salah’s services, at least for the remainder of the current campaign.
