Prem star ‘wants to join’ Liverpool, Slot told to sign perfect Salah replacement, Striker tipped for shock move

Here is a roundup of the top Liverpool news, gossip and transfer latest from icfootballnews that we think you may have missed today…

Michael Owen believes one particular “brilliant” Premier League player is the ideal man to replace Mohamed Salah if he leaves Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the current season

Salah is enjoying a brilliant season for Liverpool, scoring 21 goals and creating 17 assists in just 29 games in all competitions to keep the Reds top of the Premier League, but there is alot of speculation about his future.

The whole world of football knows that he is out of contract at the end of the season and more likely to leave the club than stay, as talks over a new contract have not got any better in recent weeks, despite his great start to the new season.

There has been alot of players linked with a move to Liverpool, but now former Reds striker Owen believes that Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo would be an ideal purchase to succeed the Egyptian at Anfield

Semenyo has just seven goals and three assists this season for the Cherries, but many believe that those numbers would rise if he made that step up and joined one of the big Premier League sides in the coming seasons.

“He is a brilliant player,” Owen told Premier League Productions. “He scores goals – and we don’t know if Mohamed Salah will stay or leave but, if he leaves, Semenyo should be his replacement.”

IcFootballnews View…

Look, losing Salah would be a massive loss to that attack, he scores and creates so many goals for the club, but this could be that season he has before the drop off comes.

Liverpool must know that at 32-years of age he will not get any better and although they would probably like him to stay, Arne Slot has a long-term plan that probably will not include Salah in more than 2 seasons.

NUNEZ TIPPED FOR SHOCK MOVE

Dietmar Hamann has backed Liverpool star Darwin Nunez to totally transform that Arsenal attack if the Gunners managed to secure the services of the Anfield striker.

Liverpool fans have been underwhelmed by Nunez’s contributions, with the Uruguay international scoring 37 goals in 122 appearances for the Reds, and just two league goals this season.

That has led to alot of speculation in the media that he is one player that Arne Slot would be open to letting go, which has led to some stunning reports that Arsenal may be interested in getting some kind of transfer deal done.

‘When Darwin Nunez turned the game around against Newcastle last season I thought this is it now and that he had finally arrived, but that hasn’t been the case,’ ex-Liverpool midfielder Hamann told BestOffShoreSportsbooks.

‘When you look at Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen, they were both natural finishers, Nunez is clearly not.

‘You can improve your finishing but not to the level of someone like Fowler or Owen who could sniff out a chance and you just knew they were going to score.

‘He scores the hard chances and misses the easy ones. I like him as a player but you have to put the ball in the net and more often than not he isn’t doing that.

‘If he was a better finisher he could be the best player in the world because at times he is unplayable and he brings others into play. Having said that, for £85m you have to say he was too expensive.’

‘I can’t see Arsenal winning anything without a centre forward.

‘You could maybe win a cup with a bit of luck and you can win the Champions League without being the best team, but in the Premier League you need to be the best and without a centre-forward there are few teams in history to have won that way.

‘You can look at Pep Guardiola’s teams who had the best wingers in the world or teams with the likes of Neymar or Lionel Messi, but Arsenal need a presence.

‘Arsenal would be a transformed team with Darwin Nunez up front. Someone with that physical presence who can stretch teams and create space.

‘Imagine the damage that Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli could do if Nunez was stretching teams with his pace and occupying defenders. It would change the whole dynamic of the team.

‘Kai Havertz might go in behind but in one or two steps he’s already caught by the defenders, Arsenal need a quick centre forward to give them another option.

‘I think their struggles going forward are down to a lack of physical presence.’

KERKZ WANTS LIVERPOOL MOVE

Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez is said to favour a move to Liverpool as clubs line up for his signature in the final few weeks of the transfer window, after an impressive first few months of the season for the Cherries.

LIVERPOOL have been in tremendous form this season and look like a side that is desperate to make up for a petty bad season last year and win the Champions League and Premier League titles.

But despite the squad that Arne Slot has and the great start to the new season, there has been alot of speculation about the type of players the Dutchman is keen to bring to the club over the next few weeks to add a bit more depth to the side.

Andy Robertson is getting back to his very best football in that left-back position, bot there is a feeling that adding another wing-back to the squad is something that Slot would like to do and Kerkez has been linked with a shock move.

Liverpool have been linked with the Bournemouth ace for a number of weeks and Manchester City and Manchester United are also reported to be admirers of the defender. The Reds appear to hold the advantage.

But reports on the Goal website has claimed that Kerkez would want the move to Merseyside over the Manchester giants.

Amid all the speculation and rumours, Danny Murphy tipped Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez to join the Reds and help provide competition for Robertson – He told MyBettingSites.co.uk: “I think one of the other two (Antonee Robinson and Milos Kerkez) would be really good competition for him and again with the amount of games they play, it’s not like they wouldn’t be getting game time.

“I really like Robinson at Fulham. I’ve watched him a lot and I think he’s a powerhouse of a left-back and he doesn’t really fit the criteria in terms of age, value for selling on later if that was the case for LIVERPOOL to go for a player of that age.”

“Kerkez is a bit younger. Another great overlapping full-back who could learn from Robertson and maybe get minutes in other competitions. So that would probably be more realistic.”

MORE LIVERPOOL NEWS AND GOSSIP – 

Read More: German reveals he hopes goal-machine signs up with Liverpool as talks cotninue

Top Read: Personal terms and £68M fee agreed for player Liverpool really wants to sign!

Most Read: Liverpool fans to see £51 million target make Premier League move, after shock move agreed!

LOVE LIVERPOOL? CLICK RIGHT HERE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND GOSSIP