Liverpool have identified Leroy Sane as their top target to replace Mohamed Salah, according to reports. Jurgen Klopp is prepared to smash the club’s transfer record to buy the Germany international next summer.
Liverpool resisted offers from the Saudi Pro League in the summer for Salah. Al-Ittihad were willing to pay up to £200million to make the Egypt star the poster boy of Saudi Arabian football.
The Reds felt it was too late in the window to sell the 31-year-old as they would not have had time to bring in a replacement. Salah has remained tight-lipped on the topic and has started all eight Premier League matches this season, scoring five goals.
But Liverpool know they will not be able to fight off Saudi interest forever. And it appears Sane is the player they want if and when Salah leaves the club.
The Mirror claims Liverpool are open to breaking their transfer record to get the 27-year-old. Darwin Nunez, who joined from Benfica for a fee of up to £85million last year, currently holds the accolade as Liverpool’s most expensive signing.
Real Madrid are also said to be interested in signing Sane. But Liverpool and Klopp have placed him at the top of their wishlist and hope to win any race for his signature.
They want to bring him back to the Premier League in 2024, four years after he left Manchester City. Sane won two league titles, an FA Cup and three League Cups under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad.
He scored 39 goals and registered 46 assists in 135 appearances for City. Bayern Munich signed Sane for a fee of up to £44m in 2020 but Liverpool may have to pay at least double that to get him.
Sane has won the Bundesliga in each of his three seasons at Bayern and has largely stayed fit after overcoming the anterior cruciate knee ligament injury suffered early in his final year at City. He has started this term on fire, with seven goals in nine appearances across the league and Champions League.
Salah, meanwhile, still has over 18 months remaining on his Liverpool contract. But the Mirror also claims it is almost certain that he will leave at the end of this season.
Saudi interest will return for Salah and Liverpool won’t be able to resist the offers. The Merseyside club will then put the money they receive towards signing a replacement, with Sane the No 1 option.
