Liverpool icons agree on Mo Salah replacement as Iraola backed to seal £80m deal

During his nine seasons at Anfield, Salah was the top scorer in eight and was integral to a side that won two Premier League titles, the 2019 Champions League, a first-ever FIFA Club World Cup, the 2022 FA Cup, and two League Cups. As a result, the 33-year-old is one of the most decorated players in the club’s history and Jurgen Klopp believes he is impossible to replace.

But Liverpool have made signing a right-winger to replace Salah a top priority this summer, with both Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola liked.

But former Liverpool goalkeeper David James believes Kvaratskhelia, who impressed as his Paris Saint-Germain side won the Ligue 1 title and Champions League this season, is the man to replace the Egyptian.

“I mean, I'd go for Kvaratskhelia,” James said via Grosvenor Sport, who offer the latest World Cup odds, when asked who should replace Salah.

“I know he's not in the same position, but he can play multiple positions. The guy is up there for a Ballon d'Or nomination, and he would cost a few quid.

“I don't think it would happen. I say it's a bit of a dream, isn't it? But if Liverpool want to be successful next season, then someone like, if you were going to go and buy a ready-made player, then Kvaratskhelia would be the one.

“But with a new manager and everything that we have talked about with Iraola, there's a part of me that thinks they don't have to go out and spend anywhere near that kind of money to get the kind of player that Iraola can get performing.

“What will be a new-look Liverpool side doesn't require someone like Mo, if that makes sense. I just think there's an opportunity here just to freshen everything up.”

Agreeing with James, former Liverpool forward Emile Heskey said: "The difficult part of saying who could replace Mo Salah, is I don't think anyone could replace Mo Salah.

“The only one I would say that we could probably go after is Kvaratskhelia from PSG, but he won't be available.

“I think when you're looking at talents and legends of that ilk, you have to just put that behind you and move on to something different. You will never find another Mo Salah putting up the numbers that he did. Never ever."

Heskey, who helped the Reds win the Treble back in 2001, also believes that Andoni Iraola should make a move for Alex Scott this summer.

The 22-year-old only missed one of Bournemouth's Premier League games as they secured a sixth-place finish, qualifying for Europe for the first time.

It has been claimed that Liverpool admire the midfielder and have been linked with a move since Iraola replaced the sacked Arne Slot at Anfield.

The Cherries are believed to value the England international at £80m and Heskey, speaking via LiveFootballTickets, believes: "I think midfield is a key place that they need to add to.

“I think another one of the most important places is centre-back. (Ibrahima ) Konate is gone now, so there are two positions that they need straight away to get up and running.

“We all know that these sorts of things don't happen straight away, do they? There's so much intricacies to deals that can prolong them for a long time.

“So these things are not going to happen. We did it last year. We got a lot of our things over and done with so we could actually get the season up and running.

“It really didn't pan out the way that we wanted it to, but if we could do it again, it would be. I think I see Alex Scott being the one for midfield.

“(Adam) Wharton would be another good one. I know (Elliot) Anderson looks like he's going to Man City. He would have been another one.

“I think midfielders are the priority and then centre-back, someone to work alongside Virgil (van Dijk) who makes us solid again because we haven't been. We haven't been solid for a while."

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