Mohamed Salah to make Liverpool exit decision as ‘incredible’ replacement lined up
Liverpool are anticipating Mohamed Salah leaving Anfield for the Saudi Pro League before the end of his new contract, sources have told Football Insider.
Salah extended his Reds career into a ninth season by signing a two-year contract extension in April, and Bayern Munich's Michael Olise has been mooted as a replacement for the "incredible" Liverpool forward.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Salah is still considering his future options despite penning that new deal, and the Saudi Pro League remains a likely destination.
Bruno Fernandes was the Saudi Pro League's main target in the summer when it came to Premier League marquee players as Al-Hilal failed with an £80million bid, as interest in an under-contract Salah cooled.
Liverpool do see Olise as an ideal replacement for Salah, but it remains to be seen if Bayern Munich will be able to keep hold of the Frenchman in the two-year period leading up to Salah's contract expiring.
Mohamed Salah seen as 'marquee signing' ahead of Liverpool exit
Football Insider revealed after Salah signed his new deal that Liverpool are "laying the groundwork" to identify and sign a replacement, but the 33-year-old staying put makes this less of a pressing concern.
"You just don't know, you never know", I told the Inside Track podcast when asked about Salah's long-term future and Liverpool's prospects of signing Olise.
"With regards to Salah's future, a lot will depend on Salah himself. Does he see himself staying at Liverpool beyond this two-year contract he's got now?
"Does he want to stay playing at the highest level of European football, or will he look to do something else? There's no doubt Mo Salah will have a lot of options, whatever happens.
"We know the Saudi Pro League see him as a marquee signing, so that may be something he might consider in the next two years if he wants to do that."
Liverpool line up Michael Olise deal for next big move
After an outlay of over £400million this summer has left Arne Slot with a new-look squad, and a frontline strengthened by the Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak, as well as Salah's new contract.
Olise is seen as "one to watch" by Liverpool as they prepare their next big-money signing in the future, but it's unclear how soon that future will come about with another high-scale spending spree unlikely.
With Federico Chiesa still at Anfield and Rio Ngumoha already announcing himself as a first-team player, Liverpool at present are well stocked with options as they line up the eventual successor to one of their greatest ever players in Salah.