The news of Mohamed Salah’s contract extension was warmly received by Liverpool supporters around the globe on Friday, as months of speculation over his future was finally put to bed.
Salah‘s previous deal had been due to expire at the end of June and there were fears that he could be tempted away from Liverpool by the riches on offer in the Saudi Pro League. It is testament to his ambition that he chose to stay with the Reds, especially when his status as a club legend has long since been secured.
Securing Salah’s future means that Liverpool does not need to search for a player to replace him this summer, and that is welcome news ahead of a transfer window which is expected to see the club bring in a number of new players.
Eventually, Liverpool will have to replace Salah, but that issue has been shunted down the road, and for now, Liverpool can focus on its other pressing recruitment matters.
New full-backs are expected to be high on the agenda, with the team in need of a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold as well as a long-term solution at left-back.
Alexander-Arnold’s impending departure to Real Madrid will leave Conor Bradley as the only right-back available to Arne Slot, and while he has enjoyed an encouraging season, his fitness record means Liverpool would be foolish to depend on him as a first-choice pick next season.
Jeremie Frimpong has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield, where he would link up with fellow Dutchmen in Slot, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo, and he would be an ideal addition, despite playing much of his soccer in a more advanced role for Bayer Leverkusen these days.
(Image: 2025 Marcel Engelbrecht – firo sportphoto)
On the opposite flank, Andy Robertson is 31 and Kostas Tsimikas will enter his 30s next season, and neither are having particularly great seasons. Robertson has made a series of uncharacteristic errors and Milos Kerkez has been linked with a move to Merseyside from Bournemouth in recent months.
The other priority this summer is a new striker as Slot searches for a dependable goalscorer to replace Darwin Nunez, who is expected to leave the Reds after three underwhelming years. Nunez arrived from Benfica with a lofty reputation in 2022 but has scored just 40 times in 138 appearances and could depart for the Saudi Pro League in the off-season.
Alexander Isak would be the dream replacement for Nunez but his price tag, rumoured to be close to $200 million, would be hugely prohibitive, so Liverpool may have to settle on an alternative target.
Finally, the club could be in the market for a new holding midfielder as back-up for Ryan Gravenberch, who has been run into the ground this season due to the lack of an alternative.
Wataru Endo clearly does not figure in Slot’s long-term plans and the Reds could move for VfB Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller as a replacement for the Japan international, who could return to the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt.
