Liverpool’s search for a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah has taken centre stage once again, but fresh insight suggests that their most ambitious target may be out of reach.
After a record-breaking summer in which the club spent more than £400 million to reshape the squad, expectations were high. The Reds broke the British transfer record twice to secure Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, while additional reinforcements arrived in the form of Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Giovanni Leoni. However, they were unable to finalise a late move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
These arrivals came in response to the departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Núñez, Luis Díaz, Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah. Yet despite the scale of their investment, Arne Slot’s team have endured a dismal start to the current campaign. Liverpool have dropped from first to eighth in the Premier League, losing seven of their last ten matches as several key players struggle for form.
With 2026 approaching, the club is expected to remain active in the transfer market, and identifying a future replacement for Salah is expected to be a major priority.
Earlier reports suggested Liverpool were preparing a record-breaking move worth around €200 million for Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise. However, journalist Dean Jones has told TEAMtalk that such a deal is improbable.
Jones explained that Bayern have no intention of selling Olise, and the only scenario in which a move could become possible would be if the player himself sought to leave. According to Jones, there is no indication that Olise is unhappy in Munich, where he is performing at a high level and embracing the challenge.
Beyond the attacking department, Liverpool are also expected to target a centre-back, and interest in Marc Guehi appears to remain strong. Former Premier League chief executive Keith Wyness has suggested that Guehi is open to joining the club, though he warned that competition for the defender’s signature will be intense.
Wyness added that Liverpool are urging the player and his representatives to keep their demands reasonable, insisting that the club are still firmly interested in bringing him to Anfield. He also noted that Real Madrid are still monitoring the situation closely
