Liverpool must know the Mohamed Salah transfer question will not go away any time soon. Saudi Arabia is desperate to bring Salah to their expanding and ambitious league, and it seems like they will not give up until they eventually succeed.
This summer, Liverpool might have been able to hold off advances for their Egyptian superstar. But that won’t be the case forever with Salah. Sooner or later with some of the excessive fees that are being touted about and sanctioned by Saudi clubs, the money may prove irresistible for Liverpool as well.
Replacing him, though, will clearly be no easy task. But the club might not have to replace him ‘like for like.’ Just like with Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool could be in a position to strengthen multiple positions in the squad overall and to make the team better balanced, rather than trying to target a direct replacement for its talisman.
There is a case to be made that Liverpool can target a more ‘project’ right-winger, and then invest the rest of the money into a center-back, and maybe another midfielder who can in turn transform the squad.
Someone who could fit into this rebuild from Liverpool’s perspective is Bryan Mbeumo. The Brentford winger is definitely not comparable to Salah yet in terms of quality, but he is only 24 years old, and he has started the season in impressive form.
With four goals in four games, only Erling Haaland has more goals than him in the Premier League so far, which is a really solid start on the back of making 17 goal contributions in the league last season.
Mbeumo fits the Salah profile as well in terms of being a right-winger who is left-footed and who likes to cut into the middle. Capable of playing as a forward as well, and as an attacking midfielder, he would give Jürgen Klopp a bit of tactical flexibility, too.
He is currently on a contract with Brentford until 2026, which means next summer he will be entering a crucial stage in his career with two years left on his deal. That’s a time frame for both club and player where a move could be on the cards and favorable to all parties involved.
With two years left on his deal, Brentford can still sell him for a relatively large sum, but at the same time, he could be a bit cheaper for Liverpool, especially in comparison to other targets who are on more long-term deals lasting until 2027 or 2028.
Mbeumo won’t break the bank for Liverpool, or at least shouldn’t, and that’s what makes him an attractive candidate: because at the same time, he is a quality addition who is on course for another solid season in the Premier League.
He is definitely capable of shouldering some of the weight of Salah’s absence at Anfield, and also allowing Liverpool to invest in other areas of the pitch to make the squad and the starting XI stronger overall.
