Liverpool could save millions on Mohamed Salah replacement amid recent developments

Salah trains with Liverpool ahead of Atletico trip

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Liverpool could save millions of pounds in the transfer market by signing Ousmane Dembele on for free next summer. The Reds are currently locked in a contract stand-off with star player Mohamed Salah, but could get one step ahead of the game by taking advantage of Barcelona’s financial problems to sign Dembele.

Salah’s current £200,000 per week contract is set to expire in June 2023 and the club are yet to reach an agreement on a new deal with the Egyptian.

According to The Mirror, Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas Issa flew into the country over the weekend to continue talks and is seeking closer to £500,000-a-week for his client.

That is a huge problem for Liverpool, who want to keep Salah, who has scored 10 goals in as many games this season, but don’t want to smash their wage structure.

Meanwhile, both Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are in the same boat, on contracts which are yet to expire in 18 months.

While those negotiations are currently the priority for Liverpool, they are also keeping their eyes on Dembele’s situation at Barcelona.

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The 24-year-old winger is out of contract in June 2022 and has therefore attracted attention from Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Juventus.

Dembele is currently out injured, but Barca’s president Joan Laporta and vice-president Rafael Yuste are still working hard to agree new terms with the Frenchman.

“There is a very good relationship with him and we are talking with his representative,” Laporta told RAC1 recently. “Ousmane wants to stay.”

However, there are concerns at Barca that Dembele’s agent, Moussa Sissoko, is speaking with other clubs about his client.

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Mundo Deportivo reports that United, Chelsea and Liverpool are ‘waiting’ to see how the situation plays out and could move next summer if Dembele rejects a new deal with Barca.

If new terms are not agreed before January then Dembele will be free to openly talk with other clubs and arrange a free transfer at the end of the season.

That is an interesting prospect for Liverpool, who are currently in a strong position but could still do with attacking reinforcements, especially if Salah’s contract stand-off continues.

Dembele has contributed 30 goals and 21 assists in 118 games for Barcelona since his £135.5million (€147m) transfer from Borussia Dortmund in August 2017.

However, his output has been severely reduced by injuries, with hamstring problems in particular meaning he has missed 96 matches for the Spanish giants.

Despite this, Mundo Deportivo recently reported that Jurgen Klopp has ‘a crush’ on Dembele and feels he could be the man to reinvigorate the club’s attack.

Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore believes Dembele would be a shrewd signing for the Reds.

“I like Dembele and I think that attacking width is something Liverpool should always be looking at,” Collymore told Empire of the Kop.

“I think that Liverpool will always have goalscorers, they will always have great goalscorers.

“You look through the history of Liverpool Football Club and they haven’t struggled for players who come in and score goals – it’s always an attraction to get those kinds of players.”

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