Salah’s goals are irreplaceable – Waddle warns Liverpool

Former England international Chris Waddle has cast doubt over Liverpool’s ability to directly replace Mohamed Salah, insisting the club may have to rethink its approach rather than seek a like-for-like successor.

Salah, who has amassed 255 goals and sits third on Liverpool’s all-time scoring chart, confirmed recently that the current campaign will be his final season at Anfield, bringing an end to a transformative era.

Waddle’s assessment centres on the Egyptian’s extraordinary consistency in front of goal, a quality he believes remains unmatched in the modern game.

“I’ve not seen a great deal of players who can score the amount of goals that Salah can,” he said, underlining the scale of the challenge facing Liverpool’s recruitment team. While acknowledging that other forwards may offer different strengths, he stressed that replicating Salah’s numbers is a near-impossible task.

Bowen and Gordon emerge as alternatives

With Liverpool already linked to several attacking options, Waddle pointed to Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon as more practical targets, primarily due to their Premier League experience.

Bowen, currently at West Ham, was highlighted as the closest stylistic match in terms of goal threat, though Waddle cautioned about his age and long-term value.

“I think Jarrod Bowen is the closest I’ve seen to a player like Salah who gets the goals but he’s getting on a bit now,” Waddle noted, suggesting any move would likely be a short-term solution rather than a foundational signing.

Gordon, on the other hand, presents a different tactical profile. The Newcastle winger has thrived operating from the left flank and, increasingly, in more central roles.

Waddle questioned whether shifting him into Salah’s right-sided position would maximise his strengths, arguing that his effectiveness comes from attacking open spaces on the opposite wing.

Recruitment dilemma for slot

Liverpool manager Arne Slot now faces a complex rebuilding task, with the club reportedly monitoring emerging talents such as RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, alongside established names like Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.

Any move for a high-calibre replacement is expected to command a significant portion of the club’s transfer budget.