Emile Heskey names three players Liverpool could sign to replace Mohamed Salah
(Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
As speculation mounts over Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool, fueled by a recent spat with Arne Slot and growing interest from the Saudi Pro League, former Reds striker Emile Heskey has faced the impossible task of replacing the Egyptian King.
Speaking to OLBG (quotes via the Mirror), Heskey named three potential replacements for Salah, should the legendary number eleven leave Anfield this summer.
Heskey’s shortlist of Mohamed Salah replacements: Kvaratskhelia, Bowen, and Pulisic
Heskey was quick to admit he would not be a direct replacement for Salah, but highlighted Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as his top target.
The Georgian player who now plays for PSG after leaving Napoli, is Heskey’s choice to “go” because of his intelligence and ability to change the game.
He said: “We are talking about replacing Mohamed Salah and I think that as fans you should look at something different because you cannot replace Mo Salah. I remember one season talking to someone who said that Mo had a bad season, he had scored 25 goals! I would like to have a season like that.
“We are talking about someone who scores 20 more goals, almost 30 goals a season for 10 years. I don’t think you can replace Mo Salah but I like the boy from PSG, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. He will go for me.”
However, the former England international also looked closer to home, suggesting West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen as a tactical alternative.
“Can Jarrod Bowen be dropped from Mohamed Salah? I think most of the players are inferior… but Bowen is a different type of player and he can help the team because he will work a bit harder than Mo,” added Heskey.
The last name on the list was Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic. Now renewed in Italy, Pulisic’s coaching reminds Heskey of his Salah career.
He suggested that, just as Salah flourished after leaving Chelsea in Serie A and returning to England, Pulisic could return to the Premier League to prove his critics wrong.
He said: “I actually like Christian Pulisic. He’s straight. He probably didn’t score as many goals as I would have liked for him to come to Chelsea but I thought he gave defensive problems.
“It is clear that after a good World Cup, at home under pressure, he is someone who can offer something different to Mohamed Salah or Cody Gakpo right now.
“Mo left Chelsea for Italy and looked at what he did at Liverpool. I think it would be good to see someone like Pulisic come back to the Premier League in the same way. I think he would like to show that his time at Chelsea was just a small thing. He was a little boy when he arrived.”
| The player | The club | Goals | It helps | G+A | Minutes Played |
| Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | 4 | 6 | 10 | 1,614 |
| Christian Pulisic | AC Milan | 8 | 2 | 10 | 962 |
| Jarrod Bowen | West Ham | 8 | 3 | 11 | 2,328 |
| K. Kvaratskhelia | PSG | 4 | 3 | 7 | 953 |
Changing Salah’s offensive numbers will not be possible
Salah’s consistency is almost unmatched. Replacing a player who has averaged nearly 30 goals per season for a decade is almost impossible.
Since joining Liverpool, Salah has broken almost every record, playing season after season for 9 years.
He recorded double digits in goals and assists in every single season, accumulating 252 goals and 121 assists in 429 games in all competitions.
This season, which has been his worst in a Liverpool shirt, he has scored seven goals and assisted eight in all competitions.
Even in his off season, the Egyptian King is expected to cross double digits when scoring goals.
Replacing a man with the terrible numbers he has produced over the years will not be possible for the team.
