Liverpool have reportedly identified Bayer Leverkusen forward Moussa Diaby as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah.
According to Fichajes, while Liverpool have prioritised tying Mohamed Salah down to a longer contract, they are still preparing for life without the Egyptian should he choose to move on. Moussa Diaby has emerged as a possible option, and Liverpool could move in for him this summer.
A Paris Saint-Germain youth product, the French winger moved to Bayer Leverkusen in the 2019 summer transfer window in a €15 million move. Diaby was quietly impressive for PSG in the 2018/19 season, scoring two and assisting six goals in 25 league appearances, but found opportunities hard to come by.
Following his move to Germany, Diaby has taken his game to another level. In his first Bundesliga season, the 22-year-old scored and assisted five goals each. He continued performing in a similar vein in the 2020/21 season as well, scoring four times and assisting 12 goals. His performances had already started attracting interest from European giants.
This season, Diaby has fired on all cylinders, and in just 25 league matches, he has scored 12 and assisted seven goals already. This has alerted Liverpool, who have now set their sights on the French international as a possible replacement for Mohamed Salah. He will still have three years remaining on his contract after the current season, meaning Leverkusen could pocket a hefty fee in the summer.
On the other hand, Mohamed Salah will just have a year remaining on his Liverpool contract after the 2021/22 season. The Reds are desperate to tie down their talisman to a longer contract, but contract talks have not gone well so far.
Salah is demanding a significant pay rise on the back of spectacular performances over the last few years. Liverpool, however, are yet to accept his demands.
The Reds would do well to convince the Egyptian to stay at Anfield as he has been amongst the world’s most elite players over the last couple of seasons. He has been the Premier League’s best player this season and has already scored 20 goals to sit atop the goalscoring chart.
However, if Liverpool fail to convince Salah, they will need to pay around €60 million for Diaby’s signature. It remains to be seen if Liverpool can tie Salah down to a new contract or turn their attention towards a possible €60 million move for the French international.
