Liverpool told two perfect Mo Salah replacements as Slot is told to break Arsenal hearts for €50m star

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has been told he faces a near-impossible task of replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield – but can make life easier for himself by smashing the transfer record for a world-class Mo Salah replacement and by hijacking an Arsenal move for a top Euro 2024 star.

A new era is underway on Merseyside with Slot stepping into the very sizeable shoes vacated by Jurgen Klopp, who oversaw one of the greatest periods in the club’s history and helped them win seven major honours and reach four European finals in his near nine-year reign. But while Slot has been chosen for the similarities he has to his predecessor both in terms of his tactics, formations and man-management skills, there are many who expect Liverpool to suffer a natural drop-off post Klopp.

Slot has already made clear his wish to make his impact felt, however, and hopes to impress his ideas across to his playing squad at their Kirkby training complex as they build up for the Premier League curtain raiser at Ipswich on Saturday August 17.

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However, the Dutchman will also want to stamp his own mark on the Liverpool squad by bringing in a number of his own signings. And with money at his disposal this summer, he is expected to dip his toes into the transfer market across the coming days and weeks.

Masters of doing their business on the sly, we understand Liverpool are, however, keen to add a new left-sided centre-half and a holding midfielder to their mix, with Slot believing the failure to properly replace Fabinho last summer was a contributing factor in their failure to last the distance in the Premier League title race last season.

Liverpool transfers: Slot told to break bank to sign one of two star wingers

The Reds though could also look for options to boost their attack and have been heavily linked with Newcastle star Anthony Gordon earlier this summer.

That deal did not materialise as the Magpies battled to stay in line with Profit and Sustainability Rules, but the Reds do remain keen and a future move later this summer has not been ruled out.

Now former Reds midfielder Dietmar Hamann has told Liverpool to move for Gordon, who could be their ‘new Mo Salah’, while also suggesting they should consider shattering their transfer record to sign Napoli wing sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

“No one really knew what to expect when Liverpool signed Mohamed Salah, on the other hand, we’ve seen Anthony Gordon have a huge impact in the Premier League,” Hamann said.

“He did so at Everton even when they were struggling and after a tough start at Newcastle he has battled through and he’s one of their best players now.

“I read somewhere that Liverpool is his boyhood club and I think it would be a brilliant signing, it also looks like Newcastle might need to sell some players this summer too.

“So Gordon would be great. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been mentioned from Napoli who said he wants to leave the club. But then obviously it depends on what Salah does.

“It’s been said for the last few years that it’s his last season and that he’s going to go in the summer. So obviously we need to find out and see what’s happening but I think Gordon would be a brilliant signing because obviously going forward, if you’ve got pace, it just changes games.”

Hamann talks up Kvaratskhelia to Liverpool

Weighing up moves for both players, Hamann, speaking to topoffshorecasinos, believes either player would soar at Anfield.

“Gordon had a brilliant season for Newcastle and we need somebody who steps up and scores these goals in important games because if you look at the last three years or so with Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunes and Luis Diaz, they have all done well but you could only really rely on Salah when the chips were down.

“Potentially Gordon could do that role!”

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Asked to pick between the pair, Hamann added: “It’s very hard to pick between Gordon and Kvaratskhelia. I don’t think there’s an awful lot between the players.

“The fact that Gordon has done it in the Premier League is big. I’ve seen very good players come to the Premier League and they couldn’t do it, it wasn’t too quick for them, it was too physical for them.

“So I’d probably lean towards Gordon. But if Salah were to go, maybe there’s an opportunity to get both of them!”

Any deal for Kvaratskhelia would likely cost Liverpool a record fee with Napoli valuing the Georgian at around €120m (£100.9m).

Liverpool advised to hijack Arsenal move for Calafiori

Hamann also thinks Liverpool need defensive reinforcements this summer and it has surprised some that the Reds have sat back and allowed rivals Manchester United to soar into contention for the signing of Leny Yoro.

They have also had an interest in Riccardo Calafiori, though the Italy star is on the verge of securing a move to Arsenal; a move that Hamann has urged the Reds to hijack, especially as he has doubts over Ibrahima Konate’s fitness.

“Riccardo Calafiori is a very good player and is so comfortable on the ball, it’s no surprise that when he missed Italy’s game against Switzerland, they put in a terrible performance.

“They were awful from start to finish, awful. That came after he set up the last minute equaliser against Croatia.

“I think Virgil van Dijk said he wants to stay and he wants to be with his fellow countryman Arne Slot, he wants to help him get back to winning ways at Liverpool.

“Ibrahima Konate is a brilliant defender but just has too many injuries.

“But Calafiori would be a very good player depending on how much he’d cost. He’s certainly a player that would be a starter for Liverpool given what he did for his club last season and for his country.

“He’s the type of player who improves your team and obviously that’s mighty important when you want to challenge for trophies.”

Slot has impossible task to step into Klopp’s shoes

Hamann feels that whatever happens though in the summer market, Slot has a near-impossible task of stepping into Klopp’s shoes and believes any manager the world over would find the challenge tough.

“You can compare it to Arsene Wenger leaving Arsenal and Sir Alex Ferguson leaving Manchester United, but somebody has to do it.

“A few managers may have been put off because following Klopp is near enough impossible. But then again, it’s an opportunity, it’s a chance for Arne Slot

“He probably thought that if he turned it down he might never get a chance to manage Liverpool again.

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“So he’s got every right to take the job and be confident about his own ability and so far he’s saying the right things. I do like what I see.

“At first I thought, it doesn’t matter who goes there because next year is almost impossible. But the more I think about it, the more I hear and see from him, the more confident I am because he seems like a very humble and normal guy.

“I think the one thing that goes against him might be expectations. I think that’s probably he’s got to somehow manage that, which is very hard because if the fans think we should finish in the top three or should win a trophy, it’s very hard to make them think otherwise.

“But I think expectations might be a bit too big for what they can or probably will achieve next season.”