Former Liverpool forward Michael Owen believes that Mohamed Salah’s replacement is already in the Reds’ ranks should the Egyptian leave the club.
Salah, who is currently side-lined with a hamstring injury he picked up while playing for Egypt in AFCON, has regularly been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the past few months. Several attempts to sign the player have thus far failed and the 31-year-old’s agent said he was “committed to Liverpool” in the summer.
But whether Salah stays or Salah goes, he will eventually leave the club – be that by retirement or a transfer – and when that day comes, the Reds will have a huge void to fill, with Salah’s ability to score and create chances arguably second to none.
But Ballon D’or-winning striker, Owen, who twice claimed the Premier League Golden Boot, has tipped Darwin Nunez to succeed Salah if he continues to develop and build on his game. Speaking to talkSPORT, Owen said: “Nunez is a player that has divided opinion.
“I think he’s very raw in some of his play, but I also think he’s exceptional in some of his play. When you think of Liverpool for the future, it’s obviously not going to be with Salah forever.
“Somebody is going to have to step up, or they’re going to have to replace him with someone that’s going to try and replace his goals. This guy [Nunez] is probably the one guy in the team that’s got the scope to be able to do that. I see him developing into an absolute force in the Premier League.
“I still think he could go the other way. I still think he’s not the full package yet, but he does things that absolutely blow your mind. He’s so strong, he’s so direct, he’s so quick and he’s got so much ability. If he can just brush up in certain areas he could be the real deal.”
After joining the Reds from Benfica in the summer of 2022, Nunez quickly became a favourite of the Kop. In Salah’s absence, he netted two goals when Liverpool beat Bournemouth 4-0 on Sunday and he is the first Premier League player to register at least 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions this season.
Jurgen Klopp highlighted his confidence in Nunez earlier this season, with the Reds manager insisting that he has every chance of reaching his potential if he keeps working hard to be the best he can be on a regular basis.
