Liverpool fans hit with transfer news they were fearing after Mohamed Salah exit

Liverpool looks set to have a big task on its hands this summer as it tries to replace Mohamed Salah, with the winger leaving the club on a free transfer after reaching an agreement

Liverpool will need to find a replacement for Mohamed Salah in the summer(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool will NOT embark on another huge spending spree in the transfer window this summer, despite Mohamed Salah’s departure from the club.

The Egyptian will bring his nine-year spell at Anfield to a conclusion at the end of the current season, having reached an agreement for the final year of his contract to be waived, enabling him to leave on a free transfer.

Despite missing out on a fee for the 33-year-old, there have been suggestions this week that Liverpool would still be able to embark on another major spending spree following last summer’s record-breaking window, thanks in part to getting Salah’s wages off the books.

The Reds spent around $600 million last summer, including the signings of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, both of whom broke the record for the Premier League’s most expensive transfers.

According to The Athletic though, that won’t be repeated this summer. Senior figures inside Anfield reportedly described that spree as “doing three windows in one”, with this summer’s turnover set to be influenced by whether Liverpool reaches the Champions League.

The Reds’ qualification hopes are in the balance heading into the business end of the season. They currently sit fifth, which looks as though it will be enough for a spot at Europe’s top table if the Premier League gets an extra place again.

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and FSG's Michael Edwards are not planning on another major spending spree this summer(Image: Getty Images)

They sit just a point ahead of Chelsea in sixth, while Brentford and Everton are lurking three points behind, and with this season’s Champions League still to contend with, as well as FA Cup commitments, Liverpool’s schedule could become chaotic.

The Reds have already got one new signing set to arrive in the summer, with Jeremy Jacquet completing his move from Rennes after a deal was concluded earlier this year.

Despite not planning on another big spending spree, The Athletic does reveal that there is an expectation that a new winger will be signed, although there are no guarantees that a marquee name will be replacing Salah.

Liverpool has been linked with a number of high-profile names in recent days, including Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande. However, it’s rated as “highly unlikely” that Bayern would sanction the sale of Olise, while a rumored price tag of €100M ($115M) for Diomande could put the Reds off.

It’s also suggested Liverpool could move away from using wingers as part of its plan after Salah’s departure.

It’s suggested that a 4-2-2-2 formation could be utilized, with getting Isak, Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike in the same side seen as a priority. Isak and Ekitike would therefore start up front, with Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai operating ahead of two deeper-lying midfielders.

Liverpool.com says: That would be quite the shift from Liverpool to go that formation. You'd assume that would involve the likes of Wirtz, Ekitike and Isak being given greater freedom to roam around the pitch, but that would be heavily reliant on those players staying fit for the majority of the season.

It's not a huge surprise that Liverpool isn't planning on another big spending spree, but signing a new winger is an absolute must now, even if that suggested formation becomes the norm.