Liverpool are willing to spend €70m (£58m) on Real Madrid attacker Arda Guler as they look for a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, according to reports.
The Egypt international does not appear to be troubled by the fact he has yet to receive a renewal offer to extend a contract which is due to expire in the summer and, having set a new Liverpool record of 20-plus goals for seven-successive seasons, his start to the new campaign means he is already well on his way to extending that.
Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad made an offer to buy Salah – who has contributed seven goals and seven assists in 12 matches in all competitions this term – for £150m just over a year ago with Liverpool making it clear at the time he wasn’t for sale.
Speculation was around over the most recent summer transfer window too but there was very little in the way of concrete interest and now rumours have begun over whether Salah will sign a new deal or leave for free next June.
A recent report in Football Insider claimed that Salah ‘wants a mega-money three-year deal’ to remain at Liverpool with the Reds usually cautious about handing out long-term contracts to players in their 30s.
The report added:
‘The Merseyside giants are unconcerned by reports that the forward, 32, has already agreed terms with a Saudi club.
‘Liverpool believe Salah’s first choice is to extend beyond his current agreement, which runs until the end of the season.
‘Sources say the record-breaking 32-year-old forward wants “three more years” at the club where he has reached legendary status on the back of his goalscoring exploits. That would take him at Anfield until the summer of 2027, when he will turn 35.’
‘Sources revealed to Football Insider that Liverpool are “not worried” about the speculation and believe they can agree to a new contract with their superstar forward.
‘Football Insider revealed on 8 September that the Reds are doing “everything they can” to keep their star man at the club, with a “bumper” new deal expected to be offered.
‘Salah has been a top target for Saudi Pro League clubs since the beginning of last summer, after moves for Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and more of Europe’s superstars.
‘The long-term vision is to have the current Liverpool star as the face of the league, with the world’s most high-profile Muslim footballer making the move to the Middle East.
‘However, given his importance to Liverpool which has been reaffirmed since Arne Slot’s arrival, the Reds are keen to keep him on Merseyside.’
And now reports in Spain are claiming that Liverpool are lining up a deal for Real Madrid’s Guler in case Salah decides to leave Anfield at the end of his contract in the summer.
The Turkey international is the Reds’ ‘choice to replace Salah’ and Liverpool ‘would be willing to pay 70 million euros (£56m)for the talented 21-year-old player’.
Guler signed for Real Madrid from Fenerbahce in the summer of 2023 but he has not yet found the minutes he was expecting when agreeing his move to the Bernabeu.
Liverpool see this as ‘a unique opportunity to attract Guler, a player with a creative profile, a disruptive player and great vision of the game, something that would fit perfectly into Slot’s approach for next season’.
His lack of minutes at Real Madrid ‘could convince the young Turk to make the jump to the Premier League, where he would have a leading role from the beginning’.
