'Arne Slot will stay at Liverpool no matter what and I know perfect Mohamed Salah replacement'

EXCLUSIVE: Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore on the future of head coach Arne Slot, the race for the Champions League, and a transfer move for Michael Olise

Arne Slot after Liverpool was knocked out of the Champions League by PSG.(Image: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore believes the Reds could struggle to attract top players to Anfield in the summer if they miss out on the Champions League.

However, he has backed Arne Slot's men to move on quickly when Mohamed Salah departs a year ahead of the contract that he signed a year ago at the conclusion of this campaign. The Egyptian has decided to call time on his Reds career after a difficult campaign in which he has struggled.

"I don’t think departing the Champions League at this stage will make a difference for Arne Slot," Stan Collymore tells Liverpool.com on behalf of Best Betting Bonuses.

"If you look at their form this season, you’d probably say that reaching the quarter-finals is about par. I don’t think anybody would have looked at this Liverpool side and thought it’s a surprise that they’re going out to PSG at this stage.

"However, if they don’t qualify for the Champions League next season, then that raises a lot of different questions. The team will be losing Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, who will be two pairs of very big boots to fill, so they have to be in a good position to recruit top-quality players.

"Will top-quality players like Michael Olise want to join Liverpool if they’re in the Europa League? I don’t think he will.

"Having said that, even if Liverpool don’t get into the Champions League, I think they’ll keep Slot. I think winning the Premier League last season has bought him a lot of wiggle room, so I think he’ll stay, whatever happens."

Arne Slot and Mohamed Salah during the Premier League game between Liverpool and Tottenham.(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Salah has scored 11 goals so far this season, but this has been his worst campaign in a Reds jersey to date. He has struggled to maintain a regular place in the team at times, and was benched for this week's Champions League clash with PSG.

"I think Liverpool will move on from Mohamed Salah fairly quickly," Collymore claims.

"Once pre-season kicks into gear and the World Cup is out of the way, the only thing Liverpool fans will care about is how they’re going to be competitive. I’d actually argue Liverpool has already moved on from Salah, at least on the pitch.

"Off the pitch, the fans need to see from the club what the plan moving forwards is with him and Andy Robertson leaving. Salah will see out the remaining games at Anfield this season and get a warm farewell — maybe a tifo or two in The Kop — then be on his way.

"There’s chat about the club moving for Michael Olise as a potential replacement, but unless the club qualifies for the Champions League, he won’t want to join them."

Against PSG, the new signings in attack — Isak, Wirtz and Ekitike — who had previously only played 88 minutes with one another, got the nod over Salah. That lasted less than half an hour, though, before Ekitike was stretchered off.

"I think all of those three players will now have an opportunity to become top men at the club," Collymore says.

"The top man has always been Salah, so other players have probably found the overbearing figure of him at Anfield a bit overwhelming. Now that he’s leaving, all three of Isak, Wirtz and Ekitike can stake a claim to be the go-to man on the pitch.

"I’d say Wirtz has suffered the most from the ‘Salah Syndrome’ since arriving, while the other two have also had inconsistent seasons, although Ekitike has been the best of the three.

"I think it will be like having three new players for Liverpool next season. Hopefully, they come out of their shells and try to write their own chapters in this great football club."