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.
ALISSON "OPEN" TO LIVERPOOL EXIT AS JUVENTUS PREPARE MASSIVE SWAP DEAL OFFER
With Alisson Becker open to a Juventus move, Liverpool is scouring the market for a replacement ahead of a major summer rebuild.
Liverpool isn’t just sitting around; it’s actively searching for someone to take Alisson Becker’s spot since Juventus looks serious about making a bid for their veteran keeper. Even though Alisson’s got a year left on his deal after the club triggered an extension back in March, he might leave this summer.
He’s been Liverpool’s go-to guy in goal since he arrived from Roma in 2018; he’s played 332 games, cost £67 million, and for years, he was untouchable. But injuries have piled up during the 2025/26 season, and it’s starting to look like his time at Anfield could be coming to an end.
Juventus are now right in the mix. Apparently, Alisson isn’t against the idea of leaving Liverpool, and Juventus could even throw their own goalkeeper, Michele Di Gregorio, into the deal for the Brazilian.
Juve are ready to offer Alisson a contract running through the summer of 2028, with an extra year as an option. Sky Sports says Liverpool already knows what’s happening and is getting their ducks in a row before a massive transfer window.
The club’s facing a big summer. Salah and Robertson are going, and now they might need a new keeper too. Giorgi Mamardashvili has stepped up when Alisson was out, playing 18 games across all competitions, but he’s injured himself, leaving Slot with just Freddie Woodman as his only fit option.
Recently, Slot was asked if losing Alisson at the same time as Robertson and Salah would be too much. He said, “The club makes decisions it thinks are right. If this happens, there's a reason behind it, maybe another good reason why we did what we did.”
He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t make transfers on a whim. Decisions are thought through, with the club’s interests always at heart.
Regarding keeping Alisson for his experience, Slot admitted that’s one argument, but there are others and, ultimately, the club will decide what’s best. Alisson’s contract still has a year left.
When pressed about Juventus, Slot replied, “Ali’s main focus is clear; he wants to get back in goal for Liverpool as soon as possible and then play for Brazil. That’s his short- and mid-term future.”
LIVERPOOL WARNED TO OFFER CURTIS JONES NEW CONTRACT BEFORE 14-MONTH DEADLINE
Analysis: Curtis Jones’ elite passing stats and why Jermaine Pennant believes Liverpool cannot afford to lose the versatile midfielder.
Liverpool really needs to sort out a new contract for Curtis Jones before they make the same mistake it did with Luis Diaz. That’s what the Inside Liverpool panel thinks, especially now that Diaz is lighting up Bayern Munich and making Liverpool’s transfer moves look pretty questionable.
Bayern’s front three, with Diaz in the mix, have racked up 100 goals across all competitions this season – the first time any non-Spanish team has done that. Diaz himself has bagged 26 goals in 46 matches and just scored against PSG in the Champions League semi-final.
Looking back, Liverpool probably wish they hadn’t let Diaz walk for £65 million last summer. Since then, fans at Anfield haven’t seen anyone who brings what he did: that relentless pressing, always looming as a threat on the counter. Sure, they’ve brought in Rio Ngumoha, a teenager, just 17, but Arne Slot, the coach, knows you can’t just expect him to fill those shoes right away.
On talkSPORT’s Inside Liverpool, Jermaine Pennant, who has played for the club, said that Liverpool has to bring in another proven attacker over the summer. Pennant’s point: Diaz was great whether he played in the middle or on the left, and Liverpool needs someone with that kind of flexibility. You don’t want to sign a backup like Hugo Ekitike and then end up overcrowding with too many strikers when the main guy returns.
Now, Jones could end up in the same boat this summer. There’s a lot of uncertainty around his future, and when you look at the numbers, he’s only got 14 months left on his contract. Several clubs in England and Europe are watching, and he’s only started 15 games for Liverpool this season.
Even though he hasn’t played much, Jones is impressing; he’s second only to Rodri in midfielder passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He’s also ranked second behind Moises Caicedo for passing accuracy, and right behind Rayan Cherki for carries. Pennant said the club can’t afford to let him go: Jones is so versatile; you can play him anywhere in midfield or even right back. He knows the club, loves it, and helps connect the squad.
Jones has been one of the top performers recently. Pennant thinks Liverpool should offer him a new deal, especially since the squad is thinning out and they’ve already lost Trent Alexander-Arnold. In the end, it’s up to Jones if he wants to stay or move for more game time, but Liverpool has to make the offer while they still can.
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