According to reports, Liverpool are looking at FC Barcelona for a winger to replace Mohamed Salah, who has entered the final year of his contract.
Salah‘s long-term future at Liverpool is in doubt as his current contract is due to expire at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are in the same boat and it remains to be seen whether the three players will commit their futures to the Premier League giants.
Salah has established himself as one of the best forwards in Premier League history, so he will be sorely missed if he leaves Liverpool next year.
The 32-year-old remains at the top of his game as he’s grabbed six goals and five assists in his nine Premier League outings this term, so it will be difficult for Liverpool to replace him.
Liverpool are already being linked with several potential replacements and Barcelona standout Raphinha is a player understood to be on their radar.
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The Brazil international previously shone for Leeds United in the Premier League. Amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, he left the West Yorkshire outfit during the 2022 summer transfer window as Barcelona paid around £50m to sign him.
Raphinha has consistently shone for Barcelona in recent seasons, but he was heavily linked with an exit in the summer as the Spanish giants looked to free up funds for signings.
The 27-year-old stuck around and has been one of the best players in La Liga this term. He has six goals and six assists in his eleven league appearances.
Raphinha’s superb form has not gone unnoticed as Man Utd and Newcastle United have recently been mooted as potential destinations. A report claimed Xavi demanded the winger ‘to replace’ Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
However, a report in Spain claims Liverpool are ‘threatening’ Barcelona as head coach Arne Slot is ‘convinced and fixated’ on Raphinha, who is an ‘ideal replacement’ for Salah.
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It is said that the ‘pressure continues to mount’ from Liverpool as they are ‘willing to make a major offer’ to sign Raphinha. While the player and club are against a move, it’s claimed that the Reds are ‘providing a litmus test’.
‘Sources close to the player indicate that his commitment to Barcelona is total and that he has not expressed any interest in changing teams. On the contrary, the Brazilian feels valued at the club and is convinced that he can continue to contribute to the growth of the team in the coming years.
‘With the winter transfer window around the corner, Salah ‘s situation could trigger a major move in the market. If the Egyptian finally leaves Liverpool , it is likely that the English club will intensify its interest in Raphinha.
‘Even so, the answer from Barcelona seems already well defined. Flick and Deco want Raphinha to remain a key piece in the project, both on and off the pitch and are not considering giving in to Liverpool’s interest.
‘The English threat then looms as a litmus test for Barcelona’s commitment to its current sporting project. For the Blaugrana team, Raphinha is a fundamental pillar, and he will make it known in the face of any possible move by Liverpool that tests his determination.’