Liverpool transfer news: 55-goal attacker named as new shock Mo Salah replacement

Paris Saint-Germain attacker Ousmane Dembele could be a shock candidate to replace Mohamed Salah at Liverpool, ex-Reds goalkeeper Brad Friedel has exclusively told Sports Mole.

Arne Slot's men face the European champions on Wednesday night in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, in what could be Salah's last continental away day in a Liverpool shirt ahead of his exit at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old will leave a lasting legacy at Anfield and had made himself an irreplaceable player over the last nine seasons, but Liverpool fans have inevitably been pondering potential successors ahead of the summer transfer window.

PSG trio Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could all come into the equation, as well as RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande, Bayern Munich's Michael Olise and Everton's Iliman Ndiaye.

However, goalkeeping icon Friedel believes that Dembele would be the perfect fit to fill Salah's boots, and the American also name-checked Adam Wharton as an ideal target for the middle of the park.

Brad Friedel tips Ousmane Dembele to succeed Mo Salah at Liverpool

"So, you can’t just replace Mo Salah," Friedel replied when asked who could succeed the Egyptian at Anfield. "You couldn’t just replace Thierry Henry, you couldn’t replace Gareth Bale at Spurs with one player only.

“So for Liverpool it may mean amending the style of the way the midfield is set up. With the goals and assists of Mo, losing that, you may have to shore up the defence a bit more.

“But looking at the team, players like Adam Wharton could work well in the centre of the pitch and then you still have top strikers at the club. You could look at Dembele from PSG as someone to bring in, who would definitely work on the right hand side where Mo plays.”

Ballon d'Or winner Dembele has endured a disrupted 2025-26 season but has still managed 14 goals and eight assists from 30 games in all competitions, including a brace in PSG's recent 3-1 Ligue 1 win over Toulouse.

The 28-year-old - who boasts a total of 93 goal involvements for PSG, 55 of his own and 38 assists - is about to enter the final two years of his contract at the Parc des Princes, while Salah is departing despite having a little over 12 months left to run on his Anfield deal.

Brad Friedel shares Mo Salah theory after Man City horror show

The Egyptian's first game since his exit announcement was a forgettable one, though, as he missed a penalty in Liverpool's 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final loss to Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime.

Salah has experienced a noticeable downturn in fortunes since his record-breaking 2024-25 campaign, and Friedel believes that the summer incomings and outgoings played a key part in the winger's decline.

“It’s a tough one to answer, but you just have to look at Mo’s performances since he has been at Liverpool and the consistency has been outstanding," Friedel added.

“The goals and assist levels are right up there with the best and especially last season when Arne Slot came in and did relieve Mo of certain defensive duties and he delivered offensively.

“This season, with changes to the team offensively and defensively, it has had an impact this season, so yes, the changes of player personnel definitely is a factor.”

Salah has still come up with a creditable 10 goals and nine assists in 35 matches for Liverpool in the 2025-26 season and is expected to start Wednesday's first leg, although Slot could still make two changes to his XI.

Brad Friedel was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of William Hill.