Jurgen Klopp urges Liverpool to sign £87m Mohamed Salah replacement | Football | Sport

Despite having only put pen to paper on a contract extension last year that was set to keep him at Anfield until 2027, Salah recently made clear his intention to part company with his club of nine years at the end of the season. Consequently, it appears a hectic summer lies ahead on Merseyside, as the Reds seek to land a worthy successor for the 33-year-old. Now, former Liverpool FC boss turned RB Leipzig global head of soccer, Klopp, is said to be pushing his former side to move swiftly for Diomande.

Having racked up 10 goals and seven assists in the Bundesliga alone this season, the Ivorian has certainly caught the eye. Tied down until 2030, however, Leipzig are in no hurry to part with the youngster, and could consequently demand well above market value to allow him to leave the Red Bull Arena in the coming months.

Klopp, meanwhile, recently explained how Liverpool face a near-impossible challenge in replacing Salah, who has notched 255 goals for the club since joining in 2017. The German said: “This specific kind of player is irreplaceable. That’s always how it is. There will be a void that somebody will fill. It’s always in our minds how much time, how much space – yeah, how much time do we give to whoever is going to play there in whatever system the manager will play?

“But the specific player, Mo Salah? I’m not sure there is even another one existing out there. There are other people playing on that wing with different strengths, different qualities, but it is the numbers he produces – they are unmatched from that position.”

It comes as Diomande is not the sole star touted with stepping into Salah’s shoes this summer, with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise also having their names thrown into the mix. As for Salah himself, his next destination equally remains a matter of conjecture.

The winger has attracted considerable attention from the Saudi Pro League of late, despite remaining committed to Liverpool up until this point. Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Qadsiah are amongst the clubs who have been linked with Salah in recent weeks. There has also been reported interest from MLS, with clubs such as Inter Miami and LA Galaxy likewise cited as possible destinations.

There remains every possibility that the Anfield icon could stay in Europe too, with the likes of Roma, Barcelona, PSG, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce all linked with Salah.