Mohamed Salah told 'best days are behind him' as Liverpool urged to sign 'perfect' replacement

Dietmar Hamann believes Mohamed Salah's best days are behind him and has named Michael Olise as the perfect replacement for Liverpool

Mohamed Salah has been below par this season(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool cannot depend solely on Mohamed Salah's goalscoring prowess to salvage their Champions League qualification ambitions this season, warns Dietmar Hamann.

The Merseyside club have struggled to defend their Premier League crown and currently occupy sixth position - just outside the European elite competition spots on goal difference. Whilst finishing fifth may prove sufficient for Champions League qualification, Arne Slot's squad have already suffered nine defeats this campaign, with their star forward Salah's previously reliable goal output significantly diminished.

The Egyptian international has managed just five Premier League strikes this term, a dramatic departure from his remarkable consistency across the previous eight seasons, though he did find the net against Wolves last week in both the league defeat and cup triumph over the West Midlands side.

Discussing Liverpool's campaign and specifically Salah's situation with BOYLE Sports, who offer football odds, Hamann commented: "They're all struggling, and the issue with Mohamed Salah is that, in the form he's been in over the last decade, he didn't just score and create goals, he created space for others.

"At times, he was unplayable, requiring two players to try to stop him. If you use two players on Salah, that creates space for someone else. I think they all benefited from that, and that's gone now because Salah isn't the force he once was. He scored his first league goal since November or something against Wolves.

"I think it's a combination of a couple of things, but the way the team is playing now, I don't think it's easy for the forwards or wingers to shine because they just don't control games.

"This control is why they were so good last season, it makes it much easier for the forwards to take a chance and maybe take a risk. I don't think they have that now because they're too open at the back. So, I think it's a combination of factors, but it's fair to say Cody Gakpo hasn't played as well as he used to.

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool(Image: Photo by Ben Roberts - Danehouse/Getty Images)

"Mohamed Salah has struggled since the Christmas before last. He struggled to score goals from open play, and that hasn't changed, it won't change. He might get the odd goal, but he certainly doesn't have the influence he used to have on Liverpool.

"Hopefully, we'll see a little cameo over the last nine or ten games to get Liverpool into the top five. But I think his best days are behind him."

Salah made the switch to Liverpool from AS Roma in June 2017. Since then, he's collected every available honour with the club whilst netting an impressive 254 goals across all competitions.

The 33 year old former Football of the Year has fewer than 18 months remaining on his existing deal, but if Liverpool are already considering his eventual successor, Hamman believes he knows precisely the right candidate for the role.

The former German international said: "For Liverpool, Michael Olise would be the perfect fit because he plays on the right-hand side, comes inside. He's been brilliant since he came to Bayern Munich.

"He's been a bit quiet in the last few weeks, but there are other players who decide games. But now with the Champions League starting again, I think we'll probably see the best of him again.

"He's a wonderful player. I probably couldn't think of a more perfect replacement for Salah than him. Bayern Munich will be reluctant to let him go because I don't think he's got a clause in his contract.

"He seems to be pretty settled and happy here. And if he only wants to play for Barcelona or Real Madrid, then that might not even come into the equation. But yeah, I'm sure that Liverpool will try their utmost to maybe get him out of Munich."