Liverpool continued their title charge as they disposed of West Ham last night at the London Stadium. Five different goalscorers were on the scoresheet as Arne Slot’s men now sit eight points ahead of second-placed Nottingham Forest. Of course Mohamed Salah was one of them and the Egyptian’s form is irrepressible at the moment.
We spoke with Danny Murphy about Salah’s contributions and the need to keep him at Liverpool considering his contract situation. The former England international outlined a two-step plan that can help the Reds in planning for Salah’s successor.
Murphy also spoke about Andy Robertson’s future at Anfield and the players that the club can bring in to provide cover for the Scottish full-back.
Keeping Salah is crucial but club should maintain its wage structure
Murphy acknowledged Salah’s form and impact at Liverpool and stressed the need to keep him at the club. As per Murphy, he doesn’t see signs of Salah’s level dropping seeing how he works hard to keep in shape.
“I think it’s really important that they do everything they can to keep him for another couple of years. He looks fit, he lives a good life. I don’t see a drop off physically if he stays. He wants to break records.
“For me, from all the conversations and interviews I’ve seen him in, it feels like he wants to stay. Yes there should be a succession plan of course. The recruitment team at any big club should always be looking forward to who might be next, to fill those shoes.”
Murphy, however, says that the club should also be cautious when it comes to the negotiations around Salah as they don’t want to break their wage structure. He says that in the unlikely event that the Egyptian’s demands are ridiculous, then the club shouldn’t extend his contract.
“The only reason I would say not to sign him is if his demands are so ridiculous and so high that it’s unrealistic and goes against the club’s philosophy and then causes problems with other players’ negotiations.
“I’ve got a good feeling that it’ll be sorted out. All the noises are good. The impact he has on the team, the fans love, the role model he is to other players at the club. It just seems silly to not find a resolution unless it’s ridiculously unrealistic. I think it’ll get done.”
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There’s two ways of replacing Mohamed Salah
Former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher recently mentioned Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo as a potential successor to Salah. Murphy praises Semenyo but sees two ways to plan for Salah’s successor.
The first one is to get a readymade player who has the experience of winning titles, scoring in the Champions League and playing for a big club. Murphy specifically mentions Real Madrid’s Rodrygo as a great option.
“Semenyo’s potentially a very good player. I think there’s only two ways of replacing Salah really – one is to get someone who you think is potentially going to be as effective. There’s not many of those out there. Maybe if you could get Rodrygo from Real Madrid, or someone like that who’s got this wonderful ability and talent to beat people and score goals. Even he hasn’t got the numbers that Salah gets.
“If they can’t get someone who’s already playing at the top level in the Champions League, winning trophies and being successful, then I think you’re probably better by bringing in two players.”
The other option, as per Murphy, is to bring in two players with Premier League experience. He says that this combination should be of an established Premier League star and an up and comer so that there’s healthy competition for the right wing. The two names on Murphy’s mind – Jarrod Bowen and Tyler Dibling.
“The other option is to replace him with two players. I think the young boy at Southampton looks like a superstar. Tyler Dibling. Quick, strong, good left foot, likes playing on the right, comes inside.”
“If someone in the Premier League, playing at the top of his game and deserves to be playing at a higher level, I would probably put Jarrod Bowen ahead of Semenyo. I think he’s more reliable, more experienced, more of a goal threat and I think he’d thrive in a better team. He’s a wonderful finisher, he’s quick, his link up play is good.
“That would probably be the way I’d go. I’d go for someone who’s established in the Premier League and then a younger one to be competitive rather than getting one to replace Salah.”
Andy Robertson needs stronger competition for his spot
Another position where Liverpool could potentially move in the transfer market is left-back. While Andy Robertson has been one of the finest left-backs to ever play for the Reds, he’s made some high profile mistakes in recent games and Murphy thinks that the club needs to bring some tough competition for him.
“You’re right Andy Robertson has been one of Liverpool’s best ever left-backs. His consistency over the years has been phenomenal. The drive, the leadership. I know he’s a character in the dressing room and he’s not as old as people think. He’s got time left.
“I think Liverpool do need some cover there and they’ve got a choice to make whether they try and get someone who can compete with him and push him to hit the levels we know he can or they go for someone who they know can overtake him and become the new left-back. That’s something the recruitment team has to decide.”
The names connected to Liverpool for this position are Alphonso Davies, Antonee Robinson and Milos Kerkez. Davies would be Murphy’s first choice but Kerkez is the one that he thinks ticks a lot of boxes.
“If I had to choose I’d go Alphonso Davies. I think he’s got the potential to be one of the best left-backs in the world. Obviously Alphonso Davies is a difficult one because he’s rumoured to be going elsewhere. I think one of the other two (Antonee Robinson and Milos Kerkez) would be really good competition for him and again with the amount of games they play, it’s not like they wouldn’t be getting game time.
“I really like Robinson at Fulham. I’ve watched him a lot and I think he’s a powerhouse of a left-back and he doesn’t really fit the criteria in terms of age, value for selling on later if that was the case for Liverpool to go for a player of that age.
“Kerkez is a bit younger. Another great overlapping full-back who could learn from Robertson and maybe get minutes in other competitions. So that would probably be more realistic.
“What we know about the Liverpool recruitment team is that they are really good at finding diamonds in the rough. People who we don’t always hear of or who are not obvious choices but then become established players. The names mentioned are terrific players and I do think Robertson needs competition.”
