Liverpool has reportedly considered Raphinha, a Barcelona winger, as a possible Mohamed Salah substitute. This information comes from Teamtalk.
Last summer, Salah was strongly rumored to be joining Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia; however, Liverpool made it quite evident that they would not be selling the player at any price. This hasn’t stopped rumors about him being the Egyptian’s replacement, according to Teamtalk, and Raphinha’s potential future.
As things stand, there are no plans from the Premier League leaders to part ways with their leading talent, but the matter might be re-assessed throughout the summer, particularly with manager Jurgen Klopp revealing that he will be departing his job after more than 8 years at the helm.
Salah has been essential to Liverpool’s achievements in recent years. With 18 goals this season, he has remained incredibly consistent and recently hit the 200-goal mark for the Reds. This summer, the 31-year-old will begin the final year of his contract, raising potential concerns about his future.
Virgil van Dijk has previously made hints that he might trail Klopp out the door. Salah might take the same route, and Liverpool might grant his wish if they are paid a substantial transfer price by Saudi Arabia. In such scenario, the team might be looking at Raphinha as a ready-made replacement on the transfer market.
This season, due to injuries and competition for spots, the Brazilian has only played 992 regular minutes for Barcelona. He still has four goals and seven assists to his credit for the Blaugrana. Liverpool could make an attempt to capture the 27-year-old, who may be considering a return to the Premier League.
The £42 million player, who made 67 appearances and contributed 29 goals, enjoyed his stay at Leeds United. Amid their war over relegation, he was their standout player. Although he would not be the Reds’ biggest acquisition, he would be a strong contender to replace Salah in the event that the latter were to depart. Without a guaranteed game time, Raphinha can decide not to play.
