Liverpool may have just given the clearest clue yet into Mohamed Salah's future at Anfield - opinion
Today at 01:00 PM
As January deepens, there is still yet to be any clear news on the three enormous contract situations looming over Anfield.
Up until recently, the fact that three of the Reds’ star players could all leave at the end of the season had been kept a little at arms length.
With the team doing so well on the pitch, focus has instead been on how Liverpool can ensure a successful season and potentially even win the Premier League.
But after news emerged that Real Madrid are pushing to land Trent Alexander-Arnold in January, things have started to take on a worrying hue at Anfield.
The fact that Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk really may be entering the final months of their respective Liverpool careers is starting to be accepted to a degree.
And after it surfaced that Liverpool are considering a move for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Napoli, it looks like that acceptance may be needed after all.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia offers Mohamed Salah clue
There is simply no way that Liverpool really need Kvaratskhelia right now. Arne Slot already has six senior attacking options in the Reds first-team squad.
Nevertheless, after Kvaratskhelia surprisingly came onto the market, Rousing The Kop understands that Liverpool do not want to miss their opportunity to sign him.
It’s understood that the Georgian is a long-term target and that – just as they did with Luis Diaz in 2022 – Liverpool could bring forward an attempt to sign him if PSG continue to pursue Kvaratskhelia aggressively.
That’s all well and good, but it does mean that the futures of Liverpool’s current attackers are very much under threat.
Reports have claimed that Diaz is not happy with his contract offer from Liverpool and maybe the Reds are plotting to replace the Colombian.
However, we feel it’s more likely that Kvaratskhelia has been earmarked as the potential successor for Salah. And moving early to tie him up ahead of the summer could mean bad news for those desperate for the Egyptian to stay.
Kvaratskhelia can be Salah replacement
The first thing to point out is that Kvaratskhelia tends to operate from the left wing rather than Salah’s favoured right.
However, Slot has already brought Federico Chiesa in as a back-up to Liverpool’s Egyptian King and it is therefore seemingly not a given that the Dutch coach wants his right-siders to be left-footed. Kvaratskhelia is also fairly two-footed.
With Diaz and Cody Gakpo doing so well on the Liverpool left, there is also no need to replace either of them.
He may be waiting for his new contract, but RTK understands that the Diaz is likely to sign a new deal before the end of the season.
The hope will still be that Salah will do the same. But as Liverpool show their hand in the market, we think the clues are starting to arrive that the Reds are planning for life without Mo.
