Liverpool to move for Johan Bakayoko if Mohamed Salah departure surfaces upon speculation

Liverpool are reportedly considering a move for PSV Eindhoven striker Johan Bakayoko should Mohamed Salah leave the club in the near future.

Salah appeared to end speculation over his future by signing a new contract at Anfield until 2025 last year, but links to a move elsewhere are resurfacing.

It was understood that Paris Saint-Germain were considering an approach for the Egyptian earlier this summer, but the French champions signed Marco Asensio and Ousmane Dembele instead.

With PSG out of the game, Saudi Arabia is now seen as the only realistic destination for Salah should he end his career at Liverpool and Saudi Pro League marketing chief Hafez Al-Medlej has confirmed that the teams in the region were interested in the 31-years-old.

Salah is said to have greenlighted an approach, and while his agent has dismissed rumors of an exit, there is hope in the region that the winger will become a Saudi Pro League player within a few years.

Even without the ex-Chelsea player, Liverpool are well stocked up front with Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo, while Ben Doak has also shown signs of promise in recent months.

However, Football Insider says PSV and Belgian starlet Bakayoko are seen as a possible successor to Salah, although PSG and Napoli are also impressed with his development.

Bakayoko represented Anderlecht and Club Brugge in their youth academy before joining PSV in 2019. The 20-year-old made 41 appearances for the first team, scoring seven goals and netting seven more.

In the 2022-23 season, Bakayoko became a key player for PSV under Ruud van Nistelrooy, recording seven goals and five assists in 33 games, mostly from a right-wing position. Born in 2003, the forward helped PSV win two KNVB Beker crowns and two Dutch Super Cups, while recently providing two assists in their 4-1 third round win over Sturm Graz.

Bakayoko, a four-time Belgium international, made his Red Devils debut at Domenico Tedesco in March, scoring an assist in his debut against Sweden before scoring his first senior goal in a Euro qualifier 2024 against Estonia in June.

However, Liverpool may have to pay a premium to sign Bakayoko as he only renewed his contract with PSV six months ago and those terms don’t expire until the summer of 2026.

However, with Salah still in the Anfield squad, Liverpool are not prioritizing attacking reinforcements at this stage and are instead working on finalizing a deal for Stuttgart midfielder Wataru Endo.

The 30-year-old Japan international is due to undergo his medical on Thursday and will join the Reds for a transfer fee of €19m (£16.2m) after shadowing Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister at Anfield. Liverpool opted for Endo after Chelsea successfully took over the shares of Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, who both opted to join the Blues over Jurgen Klopp’s side.

More news…….

‘HE DOESN’T WANT TO PLAY THERE’: LIVERPOOL INFORMED £35M STAR DOESN’T WANT TO PLAY DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD

Darren Bent says Alexis Mac Allister “doesn’t want to fill” the role of defensive midfielder for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

When Liverpool drew 1-1 with Chelsea on Sunday, the away team played the most attacking midfield they have fielded in a long time.

Both summer signings Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have started, with Bent sharing that, of either team, it’s the Reds who “can do the most with a defensive midfielder,” he told Premier League Productions (14/ 08/23 at 14.05 o’clock).

His name was now Fabinho, but unexpectedly Saudi Arabia’s ever-expanding Pro League knocked on his door and he walked away.

And although the Brazilian international’s form fell off a cliff last season, it has left a hole in the middle of the park. Mac Allister, who has been signed for £35m (Guardian), has the aggression, ball-winning ability and energy to play that deeper role, but like Brighton he needs Moises Caicedo at his side , but is now at Chelsea after snubbing Liverpool.

“This seems to be the trendy part of camp now,” Bent said. “If you look at Caicedo. 100 million pounds, he’s crazy.

“If you watch the match (Chelsea v Liverpool). Both teams could use a defensive midfielder. Maybe Liverpool because I don’t think Alexis Mac Allister wants to play there.”

Outside the Premier League

Transactions between Premier League clubs produce only one result: the selling club demands £100m for their player.

That’s the name of the game now, because your worldly Caicedo, Declan Rice, and Enzo Fernandes set that bar.

Unless there is a cap imposed by those in power, these prices will only increase.