Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has dropped a major hint on the player he would most like to replace Mohamed Salah at Anfield by naming a West Ham star as his “favourite player outside Liverpool in the Premier League.”
The Egyptian superstar’s Liverpool contract is set to expire in summer 2025, some 18 months from now, and with interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad likely to attract another bid.
Replacing his goal-contribution will be far from easy for Klopp, giving the incredible record at Anfield that Salah boasts. And the 31-year-old was on the mark once again on Wednesday night, when stepping off the bench to score Liverpool’s fourth goal of the night in a 5-1 win over West Ham in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
That takes Salah’s tally to 201 goals in 329 appearances for the Reds, incredible numbers for a winger.
Speculation on who Liverpool will turn to replace him remains uncertain if and when the time comes. And one name that has been persistently linked is Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane, who boasts many similar assets to Salah.
Indeed, earlier this week Klopp was advised to cash in on Salah if offered £150m and bring in the former Manchester City man if the opportunity presented itself.
However, while Klopp is yet to comment on such speculation, underlining only the importance of Salah to Liverpool and standing firm against a Saudi push to sign him earlier this season, there is another name that persistently pops up.
Klopp admires West Ham star in hint at Salah replacement
And, it seems the Liverpool manager may well have his eyes on Jarrod Bowen as his dream Salah replacement after paying the West Ham star the biggest compliment before the Hammers’ match against his side on Wednesday night.
It is thought that Liverpool have had their eye on Bowen, who joined West Ham in a bargain £22m deal from Hull in January 2020, for a number of years now with their scouts tracking his development.
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And in a big hint he’s the player Klopp would love to sign, the German said of the 27-year-old and in the game in general: “In quarter-finals, everybody can smell the chance to go through.
“In a very busy period, finding a line-up which can go and go and go because West Ham is a physically really strong team, David [Moyes] is doing an incredible job, I have to say. They are good again, through in Europe, it’s really impressive. Injuries issues as well.
“Playing without [Michail] Antonio, and Bowen steps up in that position – probably my favourite player besides my players – it’s just great what he’s doing and how he develops.”
Of course, admitting an admiration for a player does not mean a move to prise him away from the London Stadium will be made, though it does perhaps drop a hint over what is to come.
Signing the 52-goal Hammers man, however, will be far from a simple task. He has recently signed a new contract at the club, tying him to the Irons until summer 2030 – as big an arrangement as you can probably give a 27-year-old.
We have also recently revealed that West Ham value the player at £100m, with any potential deal likely to cost Liverpool a new club-record fee.
