31 Jan 2025 10:26:59
Know that everyone is focused on the 3 contracts, and how that will affect us if they all leave - but, we're looking at a summer where there's potentially going to be a LOT of movement for Liverpool.

Replacing Salah
Replacing Virg
Replacing Trent (Bradley? But then we'd need a new backup RB)
New LB coming in surely
A CDM coming in (as well as Grav has done, it's a must)
New striker coming in?
Mamardashvilli coming in

And then there's the issue around squad depth and how the likes of Darwin and Jota probably need replacing, but are they really going to bring in two starter level strikers AND replace Salah?
And then there's the likes of Doak, Morton and to a lesser extent Danns, who could all realistically leave.

This is all before anyone even questions wether FSG would be willing to bankroll a summer of this size!

Big changes coming, strap yourselves in!

1.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 11:01:54
We desperately need a top centre half too
Up the pool.

2.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 11:05:08
Yeah, we’re not doing that much business, there’s about £50 and the contents of JWH’s nectar card to spend.

3.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 11:07:18
I see the 3 boys signing, one striker coming in with one leaving. Also one midfielder with a couple leaving and a LB who also hopefully can cover at CB.

4.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 11:25:59
How is everyone focused on the three contracts? Who really knows anything about them?
I'm focusing more on the four competitions we are still in.

5.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 11:33:51
It’s very different to understand the recruitment process at Liverpool or lack of it.

6.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 11:39:13
I'm not overly worried. If Salah and Trent don't sign new deals. I want them too, but I think we manage without them.

If Gakpo had taken Salah's 6 penalties this season he'd potentially have 21 goals and Mo would have 17. I think Gakpo is flying under the radar but I think there we have our Mo Salah goals replacement. He's about to explode in my opinion. There's a good chance he finishes this season on 25-30 goals in all competitions without even being the main penalty taker. He's ready to be the main man for us like he was at PSV. In terms of Salah's direct replacement on the right side we have Chiesa and Doak who are very different players to Salah but still good players. They have less output in terms of goals and assists, but are more effective in terms of their defensive work which could free up Bradley to be more aggressive on the overlap if Trent does leave. As Bradley is a lot more direct than Trent with his forward runs and likes to break into the penalty area himself.

Virgil is the one we need to keep. If he goes we're left with Quansah who isn't ready, Gomez who is a squad player and Konate who is injury prone and only has 1 year left on his deal too. We can't really afford to be in a situation where we need to sign 2 or 3 CB's in quick succession.

7.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 11:52:56
To be honest, even if all 3 stay and sign, we still need to think sharpish about signing 2 replacements for the near future anyway.

I half think that's why logically it doesn't make sense to just break the wage structure for them (in eyes of FSG), as they are going to need replacing potentially in next 2 years.

8.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 12:16:50
Doak still has no end product. It's a weakness in his game. He reminds me too much of Sterling at that age. and Sterling now.

9.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 12:47:45
Chiesa and Doak are not suitable Salah replacements. Chiesa is simply unreliable because of his fitness, and Doak is nowhere near the standard of Salah.

10.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 13:45:52
Agreed Adam. Doak, a promising young player but one I think we'll let go in the summer. He had interest this month from both Ipswich and Palace - offers rejected. We then put a £30 mil tag on him. If we saw him for the future we wouldn't be willing to flog him at £30 mil.

I think we've made the wise decision to let him keep at Boro until the summer, he will return and if they get promoted which is likely then we'll see more interest in him. I must say, if we can get 30 for him we have to snap their hands off.

Chiesa? one of them lads for me I really hope does well but I was against us signing him due to his fitness and I still am, I don't believe it'll turn out good at all. A gifted player for sure but I think his fitness will be a huge issue for him at Liverpool.

11.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 14:04:27
Adam, literally the whole point of my post was that the replacement for Salah does not need to do what he does. In the same way we never really replaced Gerrard like for like. In the same way we never replaced Suarez like for like. In the same way we never replaced Coutinho like for like.

Even if we sign Salah to a new 1 or 2 year deal, you're just kicking the can down the road. He's 33 this summer. I want him to stay, but if he doesn't so be it. It will just be someone else's time. Trent, Virgil and Salah have always been our 3 world class outfield players throughout the last 7 years of relative success. I think in Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and Gakpo we have the new guard already in place ready to become the stars. Just because they're not like for like replacements doesn't mean they can't become just as influential for us.

12.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 16:16:36
3 goals and 7 assists outa Doak this season, very similar to olise at 19 in the Championship and we'd all take him to replace Salah. Doak may or may not end up good enough for LFC but at 19 is showing huge potential. Up there as probably the best winger in the championship.

13.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 17:38:07
During the summer transfer window I don’t think we will sign a left back -Right back or a Right winger

I think they will give beck or chambers the opportunity to challenge for left back with Robertson moving on

Luca Stephenson who never gets mentioned and is flying under the radar will challenge Bradley at right back

Chiesa and Doak will replace Salah, a fit and firing Chiesa will be an adequate replacement

I reckon they will bring in 2 centre backs a no 6 and another forward

Salah Trent and vvd will all go as will Nunez who will be sold.

{Ed025's Note - Chiesa an adequate replacement for Salah Jaydee???, come on mate get a grip..

14.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 17:41:44
I love your optimism, MK, but if we are relying on Doak and Chiesa to replace Salah, gawd help us. Also, I'm not yet convinced about Bradley if Trent, as likely, goes.

15.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 17:46:44
MK - I know what you mean about the impossibility of directly replacing a world class player. I agree with that. In an ideal world, we'd get a huge fee for Salah and invest it in the weaker areas of our squad. Who knows, maybe we'd sign a left-back who becomes world-class.

But I disagree that we can compete with this current squad minus Salah. Had we lost him on a free last summer, I don't think we'd be in 1st place right now - as much as I like Slot and agree with you about Gakpo. Add a (probable) resurgent City to the mix, and the fact we potentially need to replace TAA, VVD, Robertson, Jota and Nunez, and it's a huge mountain to climb. Saying that, I do love Slot.

16.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 18:10:57
Adam - Chiesa played 37 times last season, he’s been injury free for ages now and fully recovered from the 1 serious injury he’s had, the issue was that he completely missed pre season and has had to build up his fitness, he’s going to be a massive player for us, look how long it took vvd to get back to his best.

17.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 18:18:12
Give the lad a chance - he was valued at £100 million prior to his injury and would have likely walked into the starting lineup of any team on the planet at the time,
Hes looked red hot since he’s been back playing and will only improve, he won’t replicate salahs numbers but who will.
He will however be a great addition to the team.

18.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 19:55:33
Anyone knocking a player because they won't replicate salahs numbers is in cloud cuckoo land. NOBODY in world football at the minute would produce what he is doing.

19.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 19:59:35
I’m torn between the club having no money to spend, the three contracts deciding what will be available and hopeful/ confident there’s a plan in place either way.

What I do know is that we won’t find like for like if we do replace vvd and salah, they’ve been generational talents for us.

20.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 20:29:24
Ecogsi - so it’s time to find the next generational talent - think we are likely to be able to add gravy to that list.

21.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 20:39:45
I think you’re spot on MK. Everyone keeps going on about replacements but anyone who knows anyone about football will know that you can very rarely ‘replace’ a player like for like. No 2 players in the history of football have ever been like for like.

The team just evolves and adapts and the threat comes from elsewhere.

We already have enough firepower at the club to replace Salah’s goals.

22.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 20:46:49
@Florian - where did I say I'm knocking Chiesa? I think he's a great player - when fit - but I don't think he is a suitable replacement because of his fitness.

23.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 20:57:39
Chiesa is good when fit but he’s no Salah.

24.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 20:57:39
Chiesa is good when fit but he’s no Salah.

25.) 31 Jan 2025
31 Jan 2025 22:37:38
I think we may never see the best form from Chiesa. His injuries may have put his best years behind him.
Watching his movement the other night he looks uncomfortable running and although the mind is sharp the body is not playing ball. His football intelligence will cover his fitness to a certain degree but week in week out the premier League will probably prove too much.

It has been said before on here about the difficulty coming back from knee injuries and trusting your body to hold up when you work hard.

Maybe that is why Slot played him the full match to see how he responds this week in training.

I still think he could have an important role in the team coming off the bench against defenders who have been worked hard for an hour by our front three.

Who knows though, maybe he will settle and become a star player for us. I would like to see him with a full preseason under his belt.

26.) 01 Feb 2025
01 Feb 2025 04:22:55
I dunno, Chiesa looked pretty explosive from a standing start to me.

MK, i think your analysis is pretty keen for the most part but when you say that Mo isn't the most effective defensively. he has the least defensive responsibilities among the starting 11 and is positioned the furthest forward every time off the ball, he isn't even asked to press very aggressively in the opposing half, so it's harsh to point that out as a deficiency in his game imo.

{Ed001's Note - he certainly is the one that regularly shows a defensive responsibility chasing back when we have been left light at the back. How often has he saved us from opponent's breaks on corners?}

27.) 01 Feb 2025
01 Feb 2025 06:03:06
I think we need to get past the idea that we will be trying to replace Salah with a ‘like for like’ replacement. It’s just not going to happen. Setting aside that there isn’t a direct replacement, we wouldn’t have the money to buy someone in their mid-20’s with Mo’ talents and skill set - you’d be talking £150m+ as a start point for the bidding. What we need is someone who plays on the right of the forward 3 who can play the way Slot wants to improve the team and that would be a win for the squad’s strength.

To be honest, the more I think about it and the longer it takes to reach a resolution the more I think it might be better if they do go. Surely we all want players playing for the club who actually want to play for the club? If they want to leave, for whatever reason, then let them go and let’s get lads in who want to wear the shirt. I’d still be happy if they decided they wanted to accept the club’s contract offers but, like I say, I’m starting to get excited about what Slot’s team next season might look and play like. On the evidence to date it looks like he knows what he’s doing. He obviously inherited a strong squad but he has made it better and it will be very, very interesting to see who we sign in the summer. He certainly seemed positive in the interview the other day and I have to say he seems motivated and happy with the prospects of what might happen in the summer window.

28.) 01 Feb 2025
01 Feb 2025 09:33:12
Didnt say you did Adam, its just a general statement regularly thrown out on here with players discussed to eventually replace salah which bugs me. were probably just going to have to go about things in a different way when Mo's gone. Maybe we'll actually get a 30 plus a season CF in for a change to lessen the need for goals from the wide players. We havnt had that kind of striker since suarez over a decade ago.

29.) 01 Feb 2025
01 Feb 2025 12:59:03
There is no point in fixating on a replacement for Salah, he is a unique blend of talent, durability and an insane commitment to being a top top player. There is no replacing that like-for-like. What Liverpool will have to do, as RM/ Barcelone/ MU/ MC etc had to do when their talisman left, is to rejig the way they play to fit in with the attributes of the new players brought in. If Pool sign a top striker, they would possibly be less reliant on the right winger to be their focal point of attack. I’m confident that they are already planning for that eventuality.

30.) 02 Feb 2025
01 Feb 2025 16:39:03
Adam with yet another refreshing “Adam Lallana and Ricky Lambert would replace Suarez goals”. This time around Ben Doak, Danns and Gakpo could play there.
For the record @Adam I have no issue in letting Salah go. But I want top class player to be sighed in and not some rookie who has never kicked a damn football. And we will have to keep buying until we succeed.