Liverpool eye Felix as Salah's replacement

With Mohamed Salah's chances of joining Saudi side Al Ittihad increasing by the hour, Liverpool seem to have started identifying the Egyptians potential replacement.

As the summer transfer window is expected to close this Friday, the Merseyside club do not have much time to ponder. According to a report released by Portuguese source A Bola, there are indications that Joao Felix is being considered as a viable replacement for Salah at Liverpool.

The report also implies that Liverpool are in the process of negotiating a deal to acquire the Portuguese forward, with the potential transaction valuing around 70 million euros.

It is worth noting, however, that Felix is not the sole candidate on Liverpool's list of targeted signings for the summer. The club is also reportedly eyeing other prospects such as Bayern Munich's Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure, both of whom have emerged as potential options for Liverpool in the ongoing transfer window.

As for Salah, Saudi franchise Al Ittihad had apparently extended a tempting three-year contract for the star Egyptian striker, boasting an annual value of 65 million pounds.

There was substantial coverage indicating that Salah had concurred with the proposed transfer to the Saudi Arabian club for the upcoming summer, but amid the ongoing speculations concerning Salah's future, Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp exudes a notable sense of assurance regarding the retention of the forward within the squad. 

Downplaying the swirling rumours, Klopp emphatically stated that Salah's allegiance remains firmly aligned with his present club, asserting that the striker is unequivocally "100 percent committed."

"It's always difficult to talk about media stories because there's nothing to talk about from our point of view. We don't have an offer; Mo Salah is a Liverpool player. Obviously for all the things we do, essential, was, will be. There's nothing there, if there would be something the answer would be no," Klopp said during a press conference ahead of his side's Premier League game against Newcastle United last weekend.

Salah's agent Ramy Abbas Issa had earlier this month stated there is no chances of the player leaving Liverpool this summer. Denying reports of Salah meeting Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) officials, Issa wrote on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), "No, he did not. That's the short story."

After completing his stint at Italian club Roma, Salah joined Liverpool in 2017. Salah arrived at Anfield having agreed to a five-year deal. The 31-year-old has so far netted 187 goals in 308 matches across all competitions for The Reds. In his last season, Salah found the back of the net 30 times and his current contract with Liverpool is to expire in 2025. Salah had signed a three-year contract extension last year. He has already guided Liverpool to Premier League and Champions League triumph.

In his last appearance, Salah provided a crucial assist to claim a thrilling win for Liverpool against Newcastle United. The Magpies earned a lead in the first half after Anthony Gordon found the back of the net in the 25th minute. Liverpool were down to 10 men after defender Vigil van Dijk was given marching orders three minutes later. But the visitors exhibited a resilient mindset to script a comeback. Darwin Nunez came off the bench in the 77th minute and the Uruguayan striker scored a brace to earn three valuable points for Liverpool.

With seven points from three games, Liverpool are placed fourth in the Premier League standings.