Arne Slot details unexpected Mohamed Salah replacement outlook with Liverpool transfer plans in motion

While the Reds will need to find a new goalscoring outlet, that may not come in the form of a new winger. Arne Slot gave an insight into his thinking, and how involved he is in next summer's plans

Arne Slot gave an update on Liverpool's plans to replace Mohamed Salah(Image: Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)

Arne Slot hinted that the Premier League’s evolving style may lead Liverpool to avoid signing a direct replacement for Mohamed Salah this summer, with much of the focus on finding solutions from within.

The Reds are beginning to contemplate life after the prolific Egyptian moves on, with Salah last week confirming this season will be his last at the club. The 33-year-old begins his farewell tour with an FA Cup trip to Manchester City on Saturday, and the focus has already turned to how the Reds will replace Salah.

However, with over £300 million ($396M) spent on attacking resources last summer, another expensive outlay looks unlikely. Slot insisted he is involved in the club’s recruitment plans and finding Salah’s successor, but said it is “probably impossible” to identify a like-for-like change.

“Of course we do,” Slot said, when asked if the club is drawing up transfer plans for the post-Salah era. “We are not starting to work on it now because we are constantly working on where we can improve.

“There is not a lot talked about this, but it is 88 minutes that Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz were together on the pitch together,” he added, on last summer’s arrivals.

“So let’s first find out and work out how that works together and that can give us so much more. It is never one player who can replace Mo.

“Otherwise there would be 15 or 20 Mos and he is one of a kind, which is why he is so special. You cannot find a Mo replacement. Maybe you can but he would not be available. Yes I am [involved in summer planning]. I know why you ask this question.”

Arne Slot said he will not disclose why Mohamed Salah felt leaving Liverpool this summer was the right course of action

Liverpool has been accused of lacking physicality this season, something Salah has contributed to, and Slot implied that the lack of free-flowing play in the Premier League could impact the summer recruitment drive.

“How the league has changed is maybe not so much to do with the winger position that we need to recruit.

“But we are aware that football has changed in England. We will always try to have our own style, but we cannot shut our eyes for the new reality. It's not only low blocks; it's also set-piece after set-piece after set-piece.

(Image: PA)

“One of the reasons why we haven't been successful in the first half of the season was mainly set-pieces. Yes, I'm fully involved in next season and we have these discussions as well. How can we unlock a low block?

“Wingers are very important to unlock a low block, as we noticed last season with Mo and Luis Diaz. But there are more things that you have to be aware of like set-pieces, defending all these long throw -ins and all these pieces that teams do.

“Maybe having someone that has a long throw-in because when we had this with Joe Gomez, we immediately scored against Nottingham Forest. So you try to make the team as best as possible, and that's why replacing Mo on a one-on-one is probably impossible.

“So we have to find a way of making it work that the team is stronger, but it would already make our team much stronger if we've got Alex, Hugo and Florian together available for a bit more than 88 minutes this year. "