19 October 2023 , 05:50
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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is expected to try and sign Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen if he can't keep Mohamed Salah at Anfield beyond next summer.
The Reds are believed to have long been keeping tabs on the Nigeria international, though they are not alone in their interest. If Liverpool are to land the signature of Osimhen, they'll have to beat Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea to do so. Club scouts have been in attendance while the striker represents his nation on international duty, currently out in Portugal.
Klopp called on his scouting staff to make the trip and watch Osimhen in action against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique in the Algarve over the last week. However, the striker only played for an hour against Saudi Arabia before being withdrawn due to a hamstring injury.
Any switch that would see the 24-year-old make the move to Merseyside would likely see Liverpool legend Salah call time on his own Anfield stay. A number of Saudi clubs are keen on enticing the Egyptian out to the Middle East and are willing to pay eyewatering sums to do so.
Earlier this month, Saudi Pro League executive Michael Emenalo admitted that the idea of having Salah ply his trade in the league is an attractive one, with last summer's interest in the forward expected to reignite at the end of the season.
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"Mo [Salah] is welcome at any time," Emenalo told TZ. "But no one is pressured or forced to come. If anyone would like to come and there is an opportunity to work with the releasing club in a very respectful and professional manner, we would be very happy to have them. But yeah, Mo is my personal favorite."
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Napoli's Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to Liverpool (Getty Images)As for Osimhen, his relationship with those running the show at Napoli is not the best it's ever been. Amid lingering ill-feeling after the club mocked him on social media, there is growing expectation that the striker will leave the Serie A titans sooner rather than later.
Off-field issues have not distracted Osimhen from his responsibilities on the pitch this term. The forward has netted six goals so far this term, ensuring the game's biggest clubs remain interested in what he can offer.
If Salah were to depart Liverpool, Klopp may struggle to find a more prolific replacement. With that in mind, Osimhen is not expected to come cheap and could end up being a club record fee for the Reds if a deal does take place.