Mo Salah will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, ending nine wonderful years at Anfield. He leaves as one of the best we have ever seen at Anfield: a true all-time great.
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So what to do to replace that player? The reality is that it is not like that. No one is going to reach the heights of Salah and it is useless to even try.
Rather, things need restructuring. Perhaps the system can be changed in such a way that Salah’s position is much less important: greatness can come from elsewhere.
Liverpool took a step in that direction by signing Florian Wirtz last summer. The German is designated as the next ‘leader’ of the ‘reds’ attack and Salah’s departure makes him move in that direction.
And that change is why we think Jarrod Bowen is worth keeping an eye on. The West Ham star is expected to leave the club this summer, especially if the club is relegated from the Premier League.
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Bowen has long been a favorite of the Reds, who considered him a possible replacement for Salah in 2022. Well, even though he is 29, there is a chance it could happen this time and it would be classic Liverpool.
Let’s go back to the last time the club’s dominant player left. It was Philippe Coutinho in 2018 and his eventual replacement was £13m Xherdan Shaqiri, signed from relegated Stoke City.
Before that it was Steven Gerrard in 2015 and Liverpool’s replacement was a free transfer for James Milner. Before that, it was Luis Suarez in 2014 and the Reds signed Mario Balotelli for £14m as his successor.
Those are the three times that the dominant force left under the command of the FSG. On all three occasions, they ultimately signed a cost-effective, cut-price replacement.
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Now, to be fair, the plan worked with Shaqiri and it worked with Milner (if only because Jurgen Klopp took the job a few months later). Maybe it can work again? All we would say is keep an eye out for Bowen’s idea.
Jarrod Bowen: summary of the situation
England and the audition for the World Cup
Thomas Tuchel has included the West Ham captain in his 35-man squad for upcoming friendlies against Uruguay (March 27) and Japan (March 31) at Wembley. With 20 caps to his name, these matches are considered a high-stakes final audition for Bowen to secure his place in the 2026 World Cup squad. He has been a consistent presence under Tuchel, appearing in four of the last six matches during England’s perfect run.
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Fight for the captaincy and relegation of West Ham
Bowen currently leads a West Ham side embroiled in a fierce battle for survival. The Hammers sit 18th in the Premier League, level on points with Nottingham Forest in 17th. Despite the team’s struggles, Bowen has been their main attacking outlet, registering 10 goals and 7 assists in 33 appearances this season. He recently became the club’s all-time leader in Premier League goal involvement, surpassing Michail Antonio with 103.
Following the confirmed departure of Mohamed Salah, Bowen has once again emerged as a potential target for Liverpool. Transfer experts include him in a list of eight players shortlisted to succeed the Egyptian. However, the move has divided opinion; Club legends such as Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher have expressed their admiration for Bowen’s work rate, but have questioned whether his “ceiling” is high enough to replace Salah’s world-class production. His contract with West Ham runs until June 2030, but a summer exit is expected if the club is relegated.