‘Nobody will ever be Mo Salah’ – Babel warns Barcola against impossible Liverpool task

Former Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has warned new signing Bradley Barcola that replacing Mohamed Salah at Anfield is an impossible task, urging the French winger to focus on creating his own legacy rather than attempting to fill the Egyptian icon’s boots.

Barcola completed his move to Liverpool for a reported £123 million this summer, arriving as the club’s major attacking reinforcement following Salah’s departure after nine extraordinary seasons on Merseyside.

The 23-year-old is expected to make his Liverpool debut against Ipswich on Friday night, with supporters eager to see whether he can make an immediate impact and help fill the enormous void left by the club’s all-time great winger.

However, Babel believes Barcola should resist the pressure to replicate everything Salah brought to Liverpool and instead concentrate on establishing his own identity at the club.

“I think he understands the game and is still young, so there are only positive signs for him to become the player he could be for Liverpool.

“I don’t think we should see Bradley Barcola as trying to fill the boots of an icon. I think he should try and focus on himself to make it his own way of helping the club.”

Salah’s shadow looms large

Salah left Liverpool as a club legend after playing a central role in one of the most successful periods in the club’s modern history.

The Egyptian won every major trophy available with the Reds, including the Premier League and Champions League, while establishing himself as Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.

During his nine-year spell, Salah made 442 appearances and registered 377 goal contributions, numbers that underline the scale of the challenge facing anyone expected to succeed him.

Babel, who spent three seasons at Liverpool, believes football has repeatedly shown that even the most influential figures eventually have to be replaced.

“I remember the days when we thought that a player like Steven Gerrard was irreplaceable. Now, of course, there’s no player like Steven Gerrard, but eventually, as a club, you moved on and better times came ahead.”

‘I think that’s impossible’

Barcola has arrived under considerable expectation, having become the second-most expensive player in Liverpool’s history, behind Alexander Isak.

But Babel insists the youngster should not allow the weight of Salah’s legacy to dictate how he approaches his Liverpool career.

“Football always moves on, a club always moves on, and nobody will ever be Mo Salah. But that’s okay. I think the player should not necessarily think ‘I need to fill the boots of Mo Salah.’ I think that’s impossible.”

Barcola’s arrival represents Liverpool’s attempt to move into a new attacking era after Salah’s departure, but Babel believes that transition should not be viewed solely through the lens of replacing one individual.

Instead, the former Netherlands international wants Barcola to be judged on what he can bring to Arne Slot’s side rather than how closely his numbers or playing style resemble Salah’s.

With his first appearance expected against Ipswich on Friday, Barcola now has the opportunity to begin writing his own Liverpool story — one that Babel believes should stand independently from the extraordinary legacy left behind by Salah.