Liverpool would struggle to replace Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah under Arne Slot, feels Michael Owen
Former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen feels the Reds could struggle to replace superstars Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk under the new regime of Arne Slot, as quoted in an exclusive interview with DAZN.
Arne Slot was confirmed as Jurgen Klopp’s successor in May and formally took over as the head coach on June 1. He will be looking to mould the squad inherited from Klopp according to his image. After Liverpool finished third in Klopp’s last season, Slot’s job will be to recruit well in the transfer market and make Liverpool title contenders next season
At the moment, there are established, seasoned stars throughout the Dutchman’s squad such as Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker. However, Slot and the club’s top hierarchy must sort out the future of their key players, with speculation over Van Dijk, Salah and Alisson’s situation at Anfield rife in recent weeks.
Michael Owen has shared his worries over the Reds’ biggest stars, claiming his former club would particularly struggle to replace Van Dijk and Salah in the future.
“My worry is, those absolutely unique players that are just the difference makers in the biggest of big games, they are the ones that I’m thinking, ‘oh, who’s going to replace Mo Salah whenever the time is? Who’s going to replace Virgil Van Dijk?’ Alisson is another one,” Owen told DAZN in an exclusive interview.
“There’s certain players that are just exceptional and just world class and they’re literally one of the best in the world in that position.
“They’re really, really good players. You can find them. You can’t replace Virgil van Dijk. You can’t replace Mo Salah. You simply can’t. And that’s Liverpool’s biggest challenge now. It is to go and try to find the next 20-22-year-old who is an absolute difference maker who can stay in the team for another 10 years, pin you up, and build a team around.
“So that’s my biggest worry. Not for the here and now, but like in two- or three years’ time, I think Liverpool is going to be really – just like they did when they got Alisson and got Van Dijk.”
Virgil van Dijk has been a rock at the back for Liverpool since he arrived from Southampton in January 2018, helping our club taste rich success under the tutelage of Klopp. He was in fantastic form this past season, demonstrating the kind of performances that saw him rightly praised as the world’s best defender.
The Dutchman is set to turn 33 in July but has shown no signs of slowing down. However, his current terms are set to expire in 2025, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr reportedly trying to take advantage and persuade Van Dijk to join their forces next season.
Salah was the subject of a monstrous bid from the Saudi Pro League last summer which the Reds declined. The Egyptian continues to be on the Saudi project’s transfer list, and like Van Dijk, Salah will enter the final year of his contract next month.
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Meanwhile, we can breathe a huge sigh of relief after Alisson reportedly rejected Al-Nassr’s massive offer earlier this week, showing no interest in departing Anfield this summer.
Owen is bang on with his thoughts about replacing the likes of Van Dijk, Salah and Alisson in the future due to all of them being world-class for many years at our club. However, one or the other day we have to replace our ageing superstars and hope our recruitment team manages to find gems from the market.
