Liverpool target ‘on fire’ winger to replace Salah as Klopp encourages West Ham raid
Liverpool are considering West Ham United winger Jarrod Bowen as someone who could replace Mohamed Salah at the advice of Jurgen Klopp, a report has claimed.
Salah is the subject of serious interest from Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad at present. Reports on Monday have revealed that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are planning a €150m (£129m) offer to test Liverpool’s resolve.
The Reds would be in line to earn a guaranteed £86m as part of the offer, before the activation of add-ons. One factor that might dissuade them from accepting it, though, is the lack of time they would have to sign a replacement for Salah.
Nevertheless, reports have been suggesting who could fill the void that would be left by the Egyptian King. The latest suggestion, per Football Transfers, is Bowen.
In a report that describes Bowen as being ‘on fire’ at the start of the new Premier League campaign, it is claimed that Klopp has identified him as someone who could slot seamlessly in on the right flank.
Bowen is into the final two years of his contract with West Ham, for whom he has scored 42 goals across 161 appearances since a January 2020 transfer from Hull City.
At the age of 26, he is entering the prime years of his career, although his stance on whether he wants to spend them at a club like Liverpool is not mentioned by Football Transfers.
Interestingly, Bowen has never scored against Liverpool despite opposing them seven times. The four-cap England international would therefore be aiming to open up a new chapter of goalscoring at Anfield.
Liverpool lacking time to secure Salah successor
The other attackers already at Klopp’s disposal if Salah leaves include Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, while Harvey Elliott could feature further forward in theory.
But as one of the club’s greatest goalscorers of all time, Salah’s potential departure from Liverpool would be a major blow for the club – especially when Gakpo, Jota and Diaz prefer to play on the opposite flank to the 31-year-old, and Nunez and Elliott are more central options.
Moreover, there is the danger of them not being immediately able to sign a replacement, since the transfer window in Saudi Arabia is due to run until September 20 – almost three weeks after the English window closes.
If they are unable to get a deal done for Bowen or anyone else in time, then, Liverpool may have to make do until January before reviving their plans to invest in their attack again.
