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Updated: 1 hour 10 min ago

'Possibility' - Liverpool tipped to sign England ace as Mohamed Salah heir as exit theory emerges

1 hour 34 min ago

Despite his recent injury absence, Mohamed Salah remains Liverpool's leading man. The Egyptian has already scored 21 times in all competitions this season, finding the net in both of his starts since returning to the fold.

Yet there will come a time when Liverpool must prepare for life without Salah. His current contract has another year to run, but by the time it expires he will be 33. While he has hardly looked like slowing up this season, time eventually catches up on all, even the very best.

Saudi Pro League clubs are likely to reignite their interest in Salah again this summer although Liverpool will likely give them short shrift, unless it receives a groundbreaking offer.

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A number of potential replacements have been reported to be on Liverpool's radar in the past, most notably Wolves' Pedro Neto. However, his injury record is likely to be of concern with the Portugal international again sidelined at present.

Former Reds defender Mark Lawrenson has suggested Jarrod Bowen as an alternative and suggested the England international moving to Anfield is 'very much a possibility'.

Speaking to Paddy Power, Lawrenson said: "Bowen can play in all three positions across the front line, gets you goals and work hard. You’re not going to get another Mo Salah. The other thing he gives you is that he works extremely hard defensively — he wasn’t great at it when he joined but he’s improved on it."

Bowen is enjoying another fine season with West Ham and his performances could see him secure a place in Gareth Southgate's squad for the European Championships this summer. He has found the net 14 times in the Premier League this term, with only four players scoring more — Erling Haaland, Ollie Watkins, Dominic Solanke and Salah.

The 27-year-old did only sign a new long-term contract last October so will not be available for cheap, with West Ham having paid $28m (£22m/€26m) to sign him from Hull in 2020.

On Salah, Lawrenson suggested the Egyptian could well depart Anfield this summer. He added: "I think he will leave. As for who replaces him, I am not sure how much money Liverpool will have. Another center-back is needed and that might be the priority."

Liverpool.com says: Bowen remains one of the best Premier League players outside the top six and it is no surprise to see him linked with a move. As far as potential replacements for Salah go, he fits the bill more than most. The England ace is lethal in front of goal and his work rate makes him a handful for defenses. Liverpool could do much worse if it is looking to replace the Egyptian.

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Premier League makes immediate rule change that will impact famous Liverpool tactic

2 hours 4 min ago

It is a moment now etched in Anfield folklore. With Liverpool tied with Barcelona on aggregate, and a place in the Champions League final at stake, Trent Alexander-Arnold attempted the cheekiest of corners.

Liverpool had clearly worked on the routine as Barca was caught napping and Divock Origi reacted quickest to poke the ball into the net. The goal sparked wild celebrations in front of the Kop as Liverpool completed a seemingly impossible second-leg comeback.

The Reds would go on to beat Tottenham in the final but none of it would have been possible without the help of a young ball boy.

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Then-academy player Oakley Cannonier quickly returned a ball to Alexander-Arnold while Barca's players retreated into their defensive positions. He was lauded as a result and it later transpired that Liverpool staff members had 'coached' the ball boys and girls before the semi-final clash.

It is a tactic used by Pep Guardiola too, with the Manchester City boss previously demanding the ball be returned to his players quicker to ensure a high tempo is maintained. But now, the Premier League is cracking down on such a game plan.

According to the Daily Mail, ball boys and girls will no longer be able to be in direct contact with players to avoid teams gaining an advantage. The ruling will come in with immediate effect, with balls instead placed on plastic cones around the pitch. Two of the 14 balls will be behind each goal, with five along each side of the pitch.

The 'ball assistants' will now only be able to retrieve the balls and place them on the cones, and may even be required to sit away from the perimeter of the pitch.

Cannonier, now 19, was just 14 when he claimed the 'pre-assist' and remains on Liverpool's books. He told the club's official website in 2022: "Liverpool was obviously getting beat, so the assistant manager told our coach Carl that the ball needs to be in rapid for the intensity of the game and stuff because we were 3-0 down. Everything had to be quick and you had to get the ball back on the pitch.

"It still is a bit mad. People getting in touch on social media calling me a Liverpool legend. It does make me feel proud, it is a massive moment but I want to be a footballer, not a ball boy."

Liverpool.com says: Whether or not Liverpool would have beaten Barcelona without the ball boy 'tactic' is unclear but it will go down as one of Anfield's greatest ever moments. The Premier League is clearly keen to crack down though and the rule comes in following the recent unsavory clash between Wolves and Coventry.

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Liverpool transfer news as Real Madrid 'dealt Trent Alexander-Arnold blow' and $32m teen 'eyed'

3 hours 4 min ago

It could be a busy summer at Liverpool as the post-Jürgen Klopp era begins and his successor shapes the Anfield squad. But before any potential incomings or outgoings, a decision must be made on who is the right man for the job.

Several behind-the-scenes appointments have already been made ahead of the summer, most importantly Richard Hughes arriving as the club's new sporting director. It was a role that was vacant after Jörg Schmadtke announced he would be leaving in January.

Now with a strong infrastructure in place, the focus can shift to the next boss who will occupy the hot seat at Anfield. Xabi Alonso remains the favorite to take over but Liverpool will face competition from Bayern Munich for the Bayer Leverkusen boss.

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Liverpool's next manager is likely to prioritize strengthening the defense this summer, with Klopp having been without almost all of his senior options for period this season. A long-term replacement for Joël Matip will also be needed, with the defender out of contract at the end of the season.

Here is the Liverpool.com verdict on the transfer gossip to emerge around the Reds today, including interest in a Juventus teenager and an update on Real Madrid's reported pursuit of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Dean Huijsen (Juventus)

Liverpool is eyeing defensive reinforcements this summer and could target Juventus centre-back Dean Huijsen once the transfer window opens. According to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Juventus is eager to raise funds for the upcoming transfer window and could sell both Huijsen and Brazilian defender Gleison Bremer.

Huijsen, 18, is currently on loan at AS Roma and has played a total of 12 games across all competitions for the Serie A side. He could be available for $32m(€30m/£25.7m) at the end of the 2023/24 campaign — which has sparked the interest of Liverpool.

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The Reds are said to be now preparing a 'real offensive' offer for the defender, with Roma also eyeing another loan move to make the deal permanent in the future. Huijsen has made just one senior appearance for Juventus.

Liverpool.com says: Huijsen has grabbed his chance to impress at Roma since arriving in January and would add some more depth to the Liverpool defense. At 18, he has an incredibly bright future and will not be short of offers, if he is to permanently leave Juventus. With Jarell Quansah only 21, and Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konaté both 26 and under, the teenager would add to a backline that could dominate for another 10 years.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid)

Real Madrid could be priced out of a move for Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to GOAL. The Reds vice-captain has been linked with a move to the Bernabeu in recent weeks, with his current deal up at the end of next season.

The 25-year-old currently earns around $230,000 per week (£180k/€213k) and he is likely to seek an increase in those wages if he stays at Anfield. It is claimed he would demand even more to move on, alongside a significant signing bonus.

Liverpool have no plans to let Alexander-Arnold go and a new deal is likely to be a priority for Richard Hughes and the club's next manager. But with Real already likely to sign Kylian Mbappé on a free transfer this summer, a deal for Alexander-Arnold may prove to be too costly.

Liverpool.com says: Even if Real Madrid could afford him, it seems unlikely that Alexander-Arnold would force a move away from Liverpool, or that there would be plans to sell him. A new deal is a must and you would expect the England ace to become the club's next permanent captain when Virgil van Dijk departs.

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Jamie Carragher delivers Jürgen Klopp vs Pep Guardiola verdict in Liverpool and Man City debate

13 hours 53 min ago

Jamie Carragher has given his verdict on the greatest managers of all time, including an answer on the Jürgen Klopp vs Pep Guardiola debate.

The Liverpool and Manchester City managers have defined an era in the Premier League, with the pair regularly going head-to-head for the title in recent years. Guardiola just edges Klopp on that front, having won five to the German’s one.

There are mitigating factors though, with the City boss having spent more on his squad over the years. That has meant the debate has never been clear-cut, with Klopp’s influence since arriving at Liverpool earmarking him as Guardiola’s equal.

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Carragher himself has sided with the Liverpool boss on previous occasions when asked which manager he would prefer. The former defender though has now given Guardiola the edge in the debate over the greatest managers.

Appearing alongside Thierry Henry in a video posted by Sky Sports, Carragher played a game of ‘winner stays on’ with football’s greatest managers. First up was Rafael Benítez vs Fabio Capello, with the latter going through.

Vicente del Bosque then got the nod over Capello, before the former Spain boss was knocked out by José Mourinho. Carragher then sided with Johan Cruyff, before Guardiola got the nod.

Then came the question everyone was waiting for, with Klopp pitted against Guardiola. Carragher though put his Liverpool allegiance to one side and picked the City boss.

Guardiola though wouldn’t claim the top crown of greatest manager. Instead, Carragher opted for Sir Alex Ferguson in the final match-up.

Liverpool.com says: When it comes to overall record, as much as we would like to say Klopp has the edge over Guardiola, the City boss is in something of a league of his own. That’s not the only metric by which a manager should be judged though, and the impact Klopp has had on Liverpool is almost incomparable. We would always side with the German for obvious reasons, but the debate will no doubt continue in the years to come.

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'Not really' - Cody Gakpo delivers defiant message after Liverpool criticism

14 hours 34 min ago

Liverpool's Cody Gakpo has responded to recent criticism about his performances, saying he is "aware" of it but it doesn't bother him.

The forward has faced some tough questions this season about his ability to perform at the same level as other Liverpool stars like Mohamed Salah and Darwin Núñez.

This came up again after the FA Cup quarter-final loss to Manchester United. Jamie Carragher said Gakpo seemed to be playing "in slow motion" at Old Trafford. Chris Sutton, a former Blackburn Rovers striker, also had harsh words, saying it looked like Gakpo "didn't have his boots on the right feet".

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But Gakpo used the international break to prove his critics wrong. He provided two assists in the Netherlands' 4-0 victory over Scotland last Friday, playing alongside Virgil van Dijk.

When asked about his recent form and whether his move to Liverpool has been successful, Gakpo didn't take offense. Instead, he said his focus is on improving as a player.

"I personally wasn't that concerned," he told Voetbal International, referring to the criticism of his recent performances for Liverpool.

The former PSV Eindhoven star said: "I am aware of the situations that have occurred and that are occurring and the expectations. I am someone who always looks at, what can I do better and how can I develop myself? That is still the case today.

"There are things that are going well and things that are not going so well that I have to develop that can be developed and I am fully engaged in that, and I am not really concerned with whether that transition has been successful anymore."

Gakpo has played a total of 42 matches for Jürgen Klopp's side this season, scoring 13 goals and registering five assists in the process. The forward has found the back of the net five times in the Premier League this term, with his remaining successful strikes evenly split across the Carabao Cup and Europa League (four in each).

Liverpool.com says: It's good to hear that Gakpo isn't letting recent criticism get to him, but now he needs to come up with a response on the pitch with Liverpool. You can't get away from how disappointing his performance was against United, and he needs to make sure that was just an off-day.

With Diogo Jota set to return from injury soon, Gakpo will probably find himself falling down the pecking order again. He will have an important part to play in the remainder of the season though — it's up to him to make sure he takes his chance when it arrives.

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.

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Liverpool fan who missed out on transfer 'dream' could be about to do Jürgen Klopp a huge favor

15 hours 19 min ago

Liverpool resumes its push for the Premier League title this weekend following the international break. The Reds will know that, as they long as they do the business against Brighton, there’s a good chance they’ll top the table on Sunday night.

While Jürgen Klopp will of course be focused on his own side’s game, once the full-time whistle blows at Anfield, his attention will surely turn to events at the Etihad Stadium. With Manchester City hosting Arsenal, it could be a pivotal weekend in the title race.

Mikel Arteta’s side currently leads the way, sitting above Liverpool only on goal difference, but City lies just a point further back. The ideal situation for the Reds would see the two sides draw when they meet, perhaps closely followed by a win for the hosts.

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Either scenario would send Liverpool top, as long as it picks up three points against Brighton. Seeing two City stars pick up injuries in the past few days then might not have been as welcome a sight as some might imagine.

Pep Guardiola is facing major doubts over both Kyle Walker and John Stones after they both limped off on England duty. Walker was forced off after just 20 minutes against Brazil, while Stones lasted just 10 against Belgium on Tuesday.

It’s not like Guardiola is short of options though. In fact, he spent $98m (£77m/€90m) on someone who should be a pretty handy backup.

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Liverpool's home shirt for the 2023/2024 campaign pays homage to Bill Shankly and the legendary Reds manager's final season in charge at Anfield. The Nike shirt features a bright red design with a bold white contrast on the colour and cuffs.

Prices start from £59.95

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Joško Gvardiol could well come into the reckoning to face Arsenal if Walker and Stones can’t make it. The former RB Leipzig defender hasn’t quite found his feet in the Premier League yet, and it was telling that he remained sat on the bench when City visited Anfield earlier this month.

He might be needed against the Gunners though. If so, he has the chance to do a huge favor for the team he supports.

Gvardiol revealed his affinity for Liverpool last year while discussing a possible move away from Leipzig. Speaking to Croatian TV channel RTLDanas (via TNT Sports), he said: "My dream club? That would definitely be Liverpool.

“Since I was little, I watched a lot of their matches with my dad. We covered every season in detail. It is a club that has remained in my heart."

Of course, that dream wasn’t realized when City instead swooped for the Croatian international last summer. Against Arsenal though, he might well be able to help Liverpool go a step closer to the league title.

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