There are no ideal options.
Liverpool are playing with fire this season and risk finding themselves without three of their managers, whose contracts are expiring. Mohamed Salah, 32, Virgil van Dijk, 33, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, 26, largely define the look and feel of modern Liverpool. However, the club have taken the situation to the extreme and could let them leave for free this summer. And then the “Reds” will certainly not be able to sit idly by and maintain their strength only thanks to internal resources. Or will it work? Let’s see who Liverpool could replace if these players leave.
Central defender (in place of Van Dijk)
There seems to be a shortage of top-class central defenders in modern football. And for all styles and all budgets. However, we are talking about Van Dijk, who many consider to be the best in the world in this role. And such a player is not so easy to replace. Any replacement will only be approximate and not complete.
The ideal replacement is Jonathan Ta. The 28-year-old Bayer Leverkusen defender looked great last season and is looking decent this season. Several factors make him similar to Van Dijk. He is also physically powerful, shows leadership qualities, is calm and knows how to distribute the ball well from the center of defense. He has an excellent understanding of the game and forecast developments. By the way, Ta’s contract expires this summer, so Liverpool can get him quite easily. Certainly, there may be competition from Bayern and Barcelona, who will not miss out either.
Alternatives. Other options include Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. The 25-year-old central defender wants to return to Chelsea, who are preparing £70 million for the same. But Liverpool could also compete. Guehi knows how to play several positions in defense, he also has the makings of a leader, excellent tenacity during battles in the penalty area. There are some minor issues with my title, but they can be fixed. Another alternative is Lukeba Castle. The 22-year-old proved himself at Lyon, but after moving to Leipzig he hasn’t been as impressive. Even though he is still young. A very mobile and tenacious central defender who knows how to handle the ball and put it into attack.
If we’re talking about youth, it’s worth thinking about Sporting’s 21-year-old Ousmane Diomande. At his age, one of the best central defenders. Surprisingly confident for his age, he connects well on attacks. True, this is precisely what can scare – they will get carried away even more. Maybe Liverpool can find someone in England. For example, Miki van de Vena. The 23-year-old Dutchman is impressive, but his team’s performance is not. Therefore, he may want to change the situation and the club to make it a more ambitious and successful club. He is one of the fastest central defenders in the world. He reads the game well and advances the ball well. Granted, he has a contract for another 4.5 years and Spurs would never give such a player to a contender.
Finally, you can find something elite in Italy. Not real estate or Lamborghini, but Alessandro Bastoni. The 25-year-old Inter defender is very productive in preparing attacks early and is intelligent in defense. Certainly, such a player will cost 100 million.
Back (in place of Alexander-Arnold)
He is the closest he has come to leaving Liverpool. Real almost openly declares that they will take the Englishman. And finding a full-fledged replacement for him will not be easy either, because Trent has a number of unique properties for a right-back.
The ideal replacement is Conor Bradley. Yes, that’s exactly the case when you don’t even need to go shopping. Bradley, 21, has already been put to the test while replacing Trent when the latter was injured. And Conor showed that he possessed many of the positive characteristics of his more experienced comrade. He is also good in attack, creative, proactive and fast. Technically it is equipped differently, but it is still noticeable and leaves a positive impression. With Trent gone, Liverpool could lose set pieces, for example, but Bradley will bring furious accelerations. However, Liverpool will still have to look for someone on the flank – at least a replacement for Bradley.
Alternatives. You can look at the eternally suffering Barcelona, where Jules Koundé has rooted himself quite well. The 26-year-old Frenchman can fill the central and right-back positions, and with a good option in attack – which is what Liverpool need. Of course, it’s unlikely the Catalans would want to let such a player go, but their financial situation might force them to if the Reds are persistent enough.
But Kunde could easily be considered a direct replacement for Trent. And if we consider the option with Bradley, then he needs a replacement. It could be Amar Dedich, 22, from Salzburg. The Bosnian is aggressive, assertive, active in attack and does an excellent job of pressing. Additionally, he can be used on the left, where Liverpool have Andy Robertson, whose position is currently fragile.
Forward (to replace Salah)
This is where things get pretty tricky. It is impossible to replace such a unique and productive actor. Liverpool will never be the same after Salah leaves. If we take at least approximately similar leaders in their clubs, then some Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka or Vinicius do not look like those that the “Reds” will be able to attract. And even if someone is available, the quality is still not the same. Of course, the most optimal solution would be a restructuring of the team and a distribution of the role played by Salah. But the replacement of personnel is also necessary.
The ideal option is Victor Osimhen. Six months after a strange loan from Napoli to Galatasaray, the 26-year-old Nigerian remains one of the most prolific strikers in the world. Let him leave the first few pages for a while. In Türkiye, he scored 10 goals in 13 league matches and was claimed by many clubs. But Naples’ harmful position turned many away. Liverpool can try their luck. At the end of the season, the buyout option for 75 million euros should also come into effect. Osimhen will not directly replace Salah, a rebuild will be necessary. However, he can bring goals to Liverpool.
Alternatives. Leipzig’s Benyamin Sheshko looks like a modern-day Liverpool player. The 21-year-old Slovenian has everything to succeed in joining Arne Slot’s team. They even had interest in him last summer, but decided to give Darwin Nunez a chance to get open. However, the “Reds” will have to decide to spend about 70 million without a guarantee that Sheshko will immediately open up and bring goals and assists.
From this point of view, recruiting Alexander Isak from Newcastle seems safer. But here, it’s all about money. 25 year old Swede, perfectly suited to nuclear submarine and scoring back-to-back goals won’t cost less than £100 million. Are Liverpool ready for this? Barely. But you can compete for Isak’s teammate in the Swedish national team, Victor Gyökeres. The 26-year-old Sporting striker surprises everyone with his performance, but doubts remain about his long-distance stability. In addition, the competition will be strong for him, and Liverpool could also regret the 80 million euros.
Finally, there is an option to participate in the competition for Lille Jonathan David. The 25-year-old Canadian’s contract expires this summer, so he’s a great option money-wise. In addition, he has been playing at a high level for a long time and is carrying Lille well, scoring regularly. Certainly, David’s type is similar to Jota and Nunez, who Liverpool already have.
About the Author
