Salah’s departure may suit Liverpool’s summer plans
Mohamed Salah’s exit from Liverpool looks less like a simple contract decision and more like a calculation about what the club can build next. Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James thinks the two sides reached an understanding: Salah could leave, while Liverpool redirected the wages from his deal towards several signings.
Salah said goodbye to Liverpool supporters after the Brentford match at Anfield last month, ending a trophy-laden spell on Merseyside. His contract has 12 months left, but an agreement with Liverpool will see the Egypt international depart as a free agent. His next club is still unknown; the article says his contract expires on Wednesday, June 30, and describes him as set to become a free agent the following week.
James’s case for the move is financial as well as sporting. He said Salah’s performances last season fell well short of the level he had reached the season before, while his wages would have made a renewed commitment expensive. James suggested that the money Liverpool would have paid Salah could help fund one, two or even three players during a summer of significant recruitment.
That’s a plausible explanation, though the available comments don’t establish how Liverpool weighed the decision internally. James’s view is that it wasn’t down to Salah alone: the club also backed his departure because it saw a better use for the money.
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Diomande is the reported target, but Kvaratskhelia is the dream
Liverpool have reportedly put forward a package worth about €100 million (£86 million) for RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande, after securing Victor Munoz’s services. Leipzig had previously valued the 19-year-old at around €130 million (£112 million). Those figures make Diomande a serious investment; they don’t settle whether he’s the right fit to replace Mohamed Salah.
The alternative suggested by James is Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, fresh off winning Ligue 1 and the
Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain. James called him Ballon d’Or-worthy and capable of playing several positions, while acknowledging he’d cost “a few quid.” He also doubts Liverpool could land him, calling the idea a “bit of a dream.”
*Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in action for PSG against Liverpool in the Champions League last season. (Photo by Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)*
Here’s the more interesting point: James isn’t convinced Liverpool need to buy a like-for-like star at all. With Andoni Iraola expected to shape a new-look side, he argues the manager may be able to get the required level from a less expensive signing. Salah’s departure, in that reading, gives Liverpool room to refresh the team rather than recreate one player’s role.
James is also pleased Alisson Becker is set to stay at
Anfield. The goalkeeper had been linked with Juventus, though Liverpool extended his contract to 2027. James believes Alisson’s form suffered in a poor team environment and expects a return to his best. He flagged the Brazilian’s injury record, however, and said he hopes those problems are behind him.
James’s view is that Liverpool don’t need to replace Alisson if he wants to stay: at his best, he considers him the world’s best goalkeeper. That leaves Liverpool with two different decisions this summer. Salah’s exit could prompt a costly pursuit of a proven name such as Kvaratskhelia, or give Iraola the chance to build a forward line around a new system. Alisson’s continued presence, by contrast, offers an established foundation—provided his fitness holds up.
Victor Munoz:
Liverpool Echo profile. Liverpool FC:
club information. Alisson Becker:
Liverpool Echo profile. World Cup:
coverage.