SALAH REPLACEMENT FOUND? LIVERPOOL SCOUT 19-YEAR-OLD BUNDESLIGA DUO FOR SUMMER 2026 MOVE
Liverpool leads the £65m race for Adam Wharton while scouting Yan Diomande and Said El Mala as potential Mohamed Salah replacements.
Liverpool is keeping a close eye on two top Bundesliga prospects as part of their long-term planning, and one of them could end up replacing Mohamed Salah. With fresh reports of Saudi clubs circling Salah again, new sporting director Richard Hughes isn’t wasting any time. He’s already digging into possible successors.
Salah just got back into Liverpool’s starting lineup after AFCON and played the full 90 in the Champions League win over Marseille. Still, this might be his last season at Anfield, and nobody’s really sure who’s going to fill his shoes if he leaves.
Right now, Liverpool is watching Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig and Said El Mala from Cologne. Both are just 19, but they’re very different players. Diomande’s already made a name for himself—seven goals, four assists this season—and just about every big European club wants him. There’s even talk that Liverpool is putting together a massive €100m bid for him this summer.
El Mala, on the other hand, is still a bit raw but has loads of technical ability and potential. Liverpool is interested in both, especially since Cody Gakpo hasn’t really clicked on the left wing this year. There’s a chance they could bring in both youngsters, depending on how things shake out.
Either way, Liverpool isn’t just standing still. They’re actively tracking some of Europe’s best young talent, always thinking about what comes next.
Meanwhile, Liverpool has also jumped to the front of the pack for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. He’s become one of the most wanted players in England, and it looks like a huge move is on the cards for him in 2026. Manchester United and Tottenham are in the mix, too, and even Chelsea, Newcastle, and Real Madrid are watching, but the latest word is that Liverpool is leading the chase.
Wharton likes Liverpool’s long-term vision, even though the club have had a rough time defending their title this season. The Reds see him as a top-tier signing, and our sources say Palace will sell this summer if someone comes in with £65m.
United see Wharton as Casemiro’s long-term replacement, and Spurs want to pair him with Conor Gallagher. Both clubs are serious, but the buzz is that Liverpool is out in front right now.
And then there’s Alisson. Liverpool journalist David Lynch thinks this could be the Brazilian keeper’s final season at Anfield. Alisson’s been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing campaign, but with just 18 months left on his contract, there’s talk he could be sold this summer—especially since Giorgi Mamardashvili is already waiting in the wings.
Lynch suspects Liverpool might trigger a contract extension just to get a better transfer fee, but the feeling is strong that Alisson’s time on Merseyside is winding down. He’s had chances to leave before, he’s getting older, and the club clearly sees Mamardashvili as the future. So, it’s definitely a story to watch as the summer approaches.
WHY DID JEREMY JACQUET SNUB CHELSEA FOR LIVERPOOL? THE SECRET VIRGIL CONNECTION
Liverpool secure Jeremy Jacquet in a £60m Deadline Day coup. The 20-year-old chose Anfield over Chelsea for a summer move.
Liverpool turned heads on Transfer Deadline Day when Arne Slot jumped into the mix and snapped up one of Europe’s brightest young talents.
The Reds dropped £55 million up front—plus another potential £5 million in add-ons—to bring in Jeremy Jacquet. He’ll link up with his new teammates this summer. Chelsea hovered around the deal too, but Jacquet chose Liverpool over the Blues.
French football pundit Julian Laurens isn’t shy about his excitement. He told Sky Sports, “He’s the real deal. Sure, he’s only 20. He hasn’t played for France yet, and you won’t find him in the Champions League or Europa League. But he’s already shown so much. Last season, Rennes brought him back from a second division loan, and this year, playing under Habib Beye, he’s just kept improving. You can’t miss with this kid. He’s going to be special.
“He reminds me of when William Saliba broke through at Saint-Etienne, or even Wesley Fofana. The point is, if you really value untapped talent, you’re willing to pay big. And Liverpool just did—because Jacquet’s that promising.”
Jacquet grew up in Bondy, the same Paris suburb that produced Kylian Mbappe, William Saliba, and Randal Kolo Muani. It’s up in Seine-Saint-Denis, northeast of central Paris.
His football education, though, happened at Rennes out in Brittany. He came up through their academy, playing alongside guys like Desire Doue—who won the Champions League with PSG—and Tottenham’s Mathys Tel.
Back then, Jacquet idolised Paul Pogba, but once they moved him to centre-back, he started looking up to Virgil van Dijk.
He made his first-team debut for Rennes in January 2024, then went on loan to Clermont Foot 63, who were fighting relegation in Ligue 1. Even after they went down, Rennes kept him out on loan because he did so well with the French U19 squad.
But in February 2025, Rennes called him back, and he’s been a regular for Habib Beye ever since.
Asked about his playing style, Jacquet said, “I’m calm on the ball—maybe I look a little nonchalant, but I’m always focused. What makes me stand out is playing out from the back and breaking lines with the right pass.”
JEREMY JACQUET UPDATE: FABRIZIO ROMANO CONFIRMS LIVERPOOL INTEREST BUT RENNES DEMAND CLUB-RECORD FEE
Liverpool is battling Chelsea and Bayern Munich for Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet as Arne Slot faces a mounting injury crisis.
Liverpool really wants to sign Jeremy Jacquet this month, but with Chelsea, Man United, and Arsenal also circling, it looks like they’ll have to wait until summer.
They just locked in a spot in the Champions League last 16 after cruising past Qarabag FK, so things are looking good on that front. This season, they’ve already faced a couple of those big clubs—snatching a last-gasp win over Atletico thanks to Van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header, but coming up short with a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in Turkey.
On Wednesday, Ryan Gravenberch ended up playing centre-back because Joe Gomez is out injured, and Ibrahima Konate is still away after his father passed away. They're really stretched at the back, especially with Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni both dealing with long-term injuries. The club decided not to go after Marc Guehi this month, which let Manchester City snap him up for under £30 million.
Now, Liverpool is eyeing Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet. L’Equipe reported in January that Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, and Liverpool all want him. Fabrizio Romano gave an update, saying Liverpool would love to get the deal done now, but Rennes just don’t want to sell until summer. So, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern are all talking to Rennes and Jacquet’s people, but for now, it’s a waiting game.
With all these injuries piling up, people are wondering if Liverpool might try to bring in someone before the window closes. Arne Slot responded, saying the club always tries to make smart decisions, thinking about both the short and long term. That’s why they focus on signing young talent who can still develop—sometimes you just have to be patient and trust the process.
He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t have a massive squad packed with four right-backs, a dozen midfielders, or a handful of strikers. They need to be clever about their moves, balancing immediate needs with future plans.
As for the latest on injuries, Slot said they’ll see how Jeremie Frimpong is doing—maybe he won’t be fit for Saturday, but he could be ready soon after. With just one game a week coming up, injuries should ease up a bit, but you never know with football.