Dominik Szoboszlai makes his feelings clear on $600M signings after struggles

Dominik Szoboszlai has backed Arne Slot's view that Liverpool's summer signings, including Alexander Isak, must replace Mohamed Salah, but insists the new arrivals need time and confidence to deliver

Dominik Szoboszlai has been speaking about life at Liverpool post Mohamed Salah's impending exit(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Dominik Szoboszlai has endorsed Arne Slot's view that last summer's expensive recruits must shoulder the burden of replacing Mohamed Salah at Liverpool next season.

The Reds are bracing themselves for life after Salah, following the 33-year-old's announcement that he will depart at the campaign's conclusion. Salah boasts 256 goals and 122 assists across 437 appearances for Liverpool and, despite a decline in form this term, has still managed 11 goals and nine assists in 36 outings in all competitions.

Liverpool has struggled to score at times this season, with injury problems and inconsistent displays hampering their output. Alexander Isak arrived as the marquee £125 million ($169 million) signing — with Liverpool spending around $600 million in total last summer — but has scarcely featured due to injury.

At the same time, fellow newcomers Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz have yet to meet the standards Liverpool regularly expects.

Szoboszlai believes that, having enjoyed a season to settle, the attacking trio must rise to the challenge once Salah departs next term.

"I can mention Mo, last season he won the Premier League for us, with his numbers," Szoboszlai told Prime Video ahead of Liverpool's second leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.

Salah will leave the club this summer(Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

"Maybe he's not at this level right now, which he knows. Maybe people were expecting more from the (new) guys who came in.

"But to come to the Premier League is not that easy. I can't remember a player who came to the Premier League directly and didn't show any setbacks. We need to give them time, to give them confidence, and trust me, if they have time and confidence, they will be needed in the future of Liverpool."

The Liverpool midfielder's remarks mirror those of his manager, who spoke about the "impossible" challenge of replacing Salah earlier this month. "Of course we do," Slot said in April when questioned about Liverpool's plans for replacing Salah.

"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."

He added: "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."

He continued: "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."