Former USMNT player Herculez Gomez rang the warning bell on head coach Gregg Berhalter after USA scraped to the CONCACAF Nations League final.
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Liverpool's revival this season has stemmed from Jurgen Klopp's emphasis on comprehensively rebuilding a midfield that struggled to implement his tactical philosophy last year, which bitterly resulted in a fifth-placed Premier League finish.
Such a dismal campaign meant that the Reds would not play in the Champions League for the first time since 2015/16, which really was a hammer blow to an ambitious and esteemed manager in Klopp who had returned the glory to Anfield after so many years of mediocrity.
And while the return to the Europa League is not a prospect that will have filled world-class stars such as Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk with jubilation, it does present an opportunity for the German gaffer to complete the full gamut of silverware since joining the side back in 2015.
It also presents a great opportunity to unleash some of the club's younger talents, which is exactly what Klopp has done thus far.
Indeed, Ben Doak, still only 17, started against LASK in the 3-1 win in September, while Stefan Bajcetic and Jarell Quansah have also earned starting berths across the first two games – with both prospects very much looking talented enough for starring roles in the future.
With an ostensibly weaker calibre of opposition, healthy squad rotation certainly becomes less strenuous, and with six points already Liverpool are in a good position to cruise through the remainder of the group phase. Though these feel like famous last words.
One player who has featured prominently has been Kostas Tsimikas, who has played second fiddle to Andy Robertson since joining from Greek side Olympiakos in a £12m transfer in 2020.
However, with the 62-cap Scotland captain withdrawn due to injury on international duty earlier this week, the 27-year-old might be called upon for greater responsibility in the Premier League, where he has made just one substitute appearance this term.
Robertson has been ever-present under Klopp's tutelage and has emerged as one of Europe's foremost full-backs after bursting onto the scene following his £10m transfer from Hull City in 2017.
The £100k-per-week machine has been hailed as a "Duracell Bunny" by Liverpool writer Leanne Prescott for his remarkable energy and workrate, and has played every minute of the Reds' league season this year.
|
Current LFC Squad: Most Appearances Under Jurgen Klopp (Transfermarkt) |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Apps |
|
Mohamed Salah |
315 |
|
Trent Alexander-Arnold |
280 |
|
Andy Robertson |
275 |
|
Alisson |
240 |
|
Virgil van Dijk |
229 |
This is why his injury suffered on international duty will come as such a blow to his club team, who have clicked into gear this term after enduring that incohesive 2022/23 campaign.
The shoulder issue – which might be a dislocation – could result in a spell on the sidelines for the talented defender, who will possibly now miss the Merseyside derby against Everton next weekend – a big blow to Liverpool's fluidity and prospects.
As per FBref, the 5 foot 10 marauder ranks among the top 11% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for passes attempted and the top 12% for progressive passes per 90.
Very much one of Liverpool's chief creators, Robertson's injury will leave a void in the restored system, and while Tsimikas is a productive force himself, having provided 12 assists from merely 65 outings, he's not the most consistent of performers, with one LFC podcaster criticising him for his "abysmal" performance against LASK.
As such, it might be high time for Klopp to make good use of that aforementioned youth quality, with an exciting left-back in Calum Scanlon taking great strides in his development and now perching on the cusp of a senior debut for the Merseyside outfit.
This summer, young Scanlon was included in Klopp's pre-season squad after impressing for Liverpool's development squad over the past few years.
Noted for his “aggressive” approach by reporter Jack Lusby, the defender was signed for the Reds for a reported fee of £500k in December 2020 when he was just 15 years old, having impressed for Birmingham City throughout his youth days.
Considered one of the brightest talents of his age, Scanlon, now aged 18, has now spent three years on Merseyside and has chalked up 38 appearances for the club's various youth sides, scoring twice and providing four assists.
Signing his first professional deal last year, there is clearly hope at the club that he can work his way into a prominent position in Klopp's senior set-up, with reporter Neil Jones noting that he has looked "so good" this season, earning an assist during a 3-0 win over Morecambe Town in the EFL Trophy in September.
The emerging sensation is also among the youth players registered for the Europa League via List B this season – which means players who are aged 21 or younger and have been registered for their club for over two years.
This is a big demonstration of faith in his precocious skill set and one that may well be enacted soon following Robertson's injury, which could mean that Tsimikas is required to take centre stage for a while..
Should the 29-year-old star be sidelined for several weeks or more, Kostas Tsimikas is the number one candidate to serve in his stead, but with Liverpool competing across four different competitions it will not be possible for the Greek dynamo to play all the time.
As such, Scanlon could find himself stepping in to impress, and should he live up to Jones' praise – who also claimed that he is “very talented” – then he might just find that that shot at the first-team sticks.
Every world-class phenomenon starts as an unknown commodity, and every club has its success stories starting from within the youth ranks.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is evidence of Liverpool's thriving formative fold, and Scanlon could now emulate his positional peer and walk the same pathway toward prominence under the Anfield lights.
So far this season, Aston Villa have very much looked like a side on the up under Unai Emery, who has got things right at the second time of asking in the Premier League, restoring his reputation after the disaster that was his Arsenal spell a few years ago. The credit for their rise deserves to be shared around Villa Park, and not just given to Emery, with the recruitment team working wonders to build an impressive squad.
Their job doesn't end with the summer, though. Instead, their attention simply turns to the January transfer window, when they will undoubtedly look to bolster Emery's squad even further. One recent transfer update will leave them disappointed, however.
What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?
During the summer transfer window, the Villans got their expensive additions spot on, and have been rewarded with results ever since. In total, Aston Villa's summer spending reached the €93m (£80m) mark, as they welcomed the likes of Nicolo Zaniolo and Moussa Diaby.
Player
Price
Moussa Diaby
€55m (£48m)
Pau Torres
€33m (£29m)
Nicolo Zaniolo
€5m (£4m) loan fee
Youri Tielemans
Free
Clement Lenglet
Loan
The Midlands club may not face the same success when it comes to January arrivals, though, with the latest Jonathan Rowe transfer news suggesting that Villa could face disappointment. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Norwich City are set to block the Villans' January move for their star player, and will not entertain any offers.
This comes as a blow for Villa, who were reportedly in pole position to land the winger's signature. It looks like they'll now be forced to wait until next summer to test the Canaries' resolve, which could be easier to break down if they fail to secure promotion into the Premier League this season.
How has Jonathan Rowe performed this season?
Rowe's stats show that he has been the standout player for Norwich this season. The winger has scored seven goals in 13 games in all competitions, and at 20-years-old, will only get better with time. If his side are to earn promotion back into the top flight, then Rowe will undoubtedly be at the forefront of their charge, despite still being so young.
The Villa target has earned deserved praise for his performances this season, including from Norwich boss David Wagner, who said, via the Pink Un: "Hopefully he comes back healthy. He has done great so far, and he deserved every praise, but he knows he has to start to work even more if he wants to improve and continue this form. He is a very smart guy. He will do what is necessary. He is in a good mood, obviously.
“Everyone else can speak about the (Coventry) goal, I would speak about the defensive block in the second half because it showed how committed he is to do the hard work as well for the defence. He is a team player, he works hard. Obviously, he is scoring goals, which is great.”
With that said, Villa will be frustrated by their recent transfer blow, especially given Rowe's form. Norwich may still face a fight to keep hold of their rising star during the summer, however.
Weston McKennie led celebrations as he and his USMNT team-mates raced to down cans of sparkling water after their CONCACAF Nations League triumph.
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McKennie leads messy dressing room celebrationsSquad shotgun fizzy water cans"We'll be back for more" vows star after three-peatUSA Today Sports WHAT HAPPENED?
The Stars and Stripes changing room was bedlam after a convincing win over their bitter rivals Mexico delivered a third straight win in the competition. Juventus star McKennie was at the heart of it all, challenging beer-goggled colleagues to a 'shotgun' challenge to gulp down fizzy water.
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"3 peat and we will be back for more," vowed McKennie, posting post-match scenes on Instagram, the third of which showing the drinks race.
Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The United States have now won all three editions of the Nations League since its inception in 2019. Mexico will point to the fact that they have won two Gold Cups to the USMNT's one over the same period. But the balance of power between the two great rivals is as tight as ever, with the Americans holding the finest of leads in the FIFA Rankings as the pair build up to the 2026 World Cup.
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WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?
Players and staff have a bit of time to bask in their latest triumph before returning to acton in July to prepare for the Copa America, staged in the United States this summer and open to several CONCACAF teams.
Everton have endured a slippery slide down the Premier League table in recent years and that is mostly down to their misfiring transfer strategy.
The Toffees have suffered through years of inadequacy and terrible decision-making on the transfer front, acquiring talent for ridiculous amounts and burning through the wage budget like there's no tomorrow.
Such is their consistent failures across numerous tenures, the Merseyside giants have allegedly breached financial fair play (FFP) rules and that is a searing indictment of the issues that have plagued them of late.
With years of overspending coming back to bite them as a potential 12-point deduction looms, it is easy to narrow down the list of stars who have contributed to their plight on and off the pitch.
Moise Kean, in particular, is one talent who exhibits Farhad Moshiri's addiction to emptying his deep pockets on players who have ultimately underperformed in the Blue of Everton.
Moise Kean's best qualities
During the Marco Silva tenure in the summer of 2019, Everton shelled out a whopping £29m on a 19-year-old Kean from Juventus.
At the time, the Italian wonderkid looked like he was worth every penny having terrorised defences in Serie A across the 2018/19 season.
The teenager was largely restricted to substitute appearances, but he still showcased his sharpness and predatory instincts in front of goal to gobble up chances, netting six in 13 matches in that campaign.
Perhaps more impressive, Kean was displaying his talents as a complete striker, coming out on top in the physical battle against defenders, peeling in behind with his searing pace and supplying a ruthless finish in front of goal.
According to FBref, the youngster ranked in the top 1% against his positional peers in Serie A for non-penalty goals, top 19% for successful take-ons, top 20% for pass completion and top 1% for aerials won.
When he arrived at Goodison Park, Kean had a whole host of competition to contend with in the striking department, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Cenk Tosun, but given his talents, he was expected to become a roaring success on Merseyside, however, that couldn't be any further from the truth.
The total cost of Moise Kean's transfer to Everton
Arriving as one of the most in-demand young strikers in Europe, a heavy weight of expectation was planted on the Italian's shoulders, and there is one key factor as to why he never lived up to the hype.
Speaking to CalcioMercato last year, Kean's brother, Giovanni Kean, revealed that he was very upset about his transfer to Everton, which happened less than two months after Maurizio Sarri took over as manager.
He said: "Allegri was the first to realize his potential. What a pleasure to see him score a brace against Lazio under the eyes of Sarri, who didn't want him. Kean was very upset about the transfer to Everton."
Kean's dejection unsurprisingly impacted his performance on the pitch, featuring 39 times for the club but only mustering four goals, two of which came against lower league opposition, Salford City and Fleetwood Town, in the Carabao Cup. There was even that wretched incident where Duncan Ferguson substituted him on, only to then drag him back off.
Having struggled to settle in England and leave his mark on the pitch, the Italian ultimately bled Everton dry of £2.7m in wages across his debut campaign, amounting to a total of £31.7m when factoring the initial £29m transfer fee.
In the 2020/21 campaign, Kean was granted the opportunity to join Paris Saint-Germain on loan, enjoying a successful spell at the French giants with 17 goals in 41 appearances, including three strikes in the Champions League. Impressive form indeed. Just where did that go at Goodison?
How much did Moise Kean cost Everton?
Per Goal
£7.9m
Per Assist
£15.85m
Per Appearance
£813k
Since then, the 23-year-old has spent two seasons on loan at his former club Juventus, where his performance in the Coppa Italia final in 2022 was described as "useless" by journalist Tancredi Palmeri.
Despite his stop-start displays in Turin, the Italian giants triggered the £24m option to buy in his two-year loan in March, with Everton feeling fortunate to recoup most of what they initially forked out for him.
Ricky Ponting will miss the Twenty20 leg of Australia’s UAE tour against Pakistan and his medium-term future in the head coach Justin Langer’s plans has been placed under a cloud after he suffered a serious Achilles injury while shooting a commercial.Considered one of Langer’s closest confidantes, Ponting and his management team have had a long-term dialogue with Cricket Australia about how he is to best serve the national team while also juggling a host of other corporate and broadcasting commitments post retirement.While he had previously worked with Australia’s T20 team with some success and was also involved with the team on their ODI tour to the UK earlier this year, discussions about whether Ponting would be going to the UAE were still taking place when he suffered an Achilles tear kicking a football during a shoot for one of his sponsors.Having undergone surgery to repair the tear last week, Ponting’s mobility will be restricted for three to six months, making it difficult for him to fulfil the sort of assistant coaching roles Langer had envisaged for him whenever available. Nevertheless, CA and Ponting will continue to discuss ways of involving him in the Australian team set-up.The injury is not expected to interfere with Ponting’s new role as Channel Seven’s biggest commentary signing for their free-to-air coverage of Australian cricket this summer, which commences with the first Test against India in Adelaide in early December.The unavailability of Ponting is a blow to the developing coaching tenure of Langer, though, given the pair’s closeness. Langer spoke recently of how the magnitude of the job – rehabilitating Australian cricket after the Newlands ball-tampering scandal and amid two concurrent reviews into the culture of the team and CA – was keeping him awake at night, and that he needed to know who he trusted.”It’s the first time in my adult life I’ve woken up in the middle of the night,” he told . “I did it a few times in England. I’ve done it a few times since I’ve been home. It’s bizarre but hopefully as I start getting my feet under the table and I start knowing who I trust around my new team of people at Cricket Australia, hopefully I start sleeping better.”Certainly I’m gaining greater clarity in the foundations of what we are trying to achieve in the team for the next few years. I’m getting clarity about leadership. My huge focus is organic leadership and it can’t just be about the title C or VC, it’s got to be about developing these young blokes.”If I leave this role and there’s probably six or seven guys who you could make captain tomorrow then I reckon I’ve done a pretty good job because if we do that … then not only will we be playing good cricket and I reckon the Australian public will be proud of us again, we’ll have earned respect and there will be plenty of heroes out there for Australian kids, and that’s the way it’s always been in Australian cricket.”The support staff Langer takes with him to the UAE will be largely unchanged from the group that his predecessor Darren Lehmann took on the fateful trip to South Africa, with David Saker as assistant and bowling coach, Graeme Hick as batting coach and Brad Haddin as fielding coach. All are under contract until the end of the 2019 Ashes in England.Cricket Australia declined to comment.
Crystal Palace are hoping to offer one of their first-team stars a new deal alongside Eberechi Eze, according to a reliable journalist and transfer insider.
Eberechi Eze contract update
The Eagles received a £60m offer from Premier League rivals Manchester City for Eze over the summer which they swiftly rejected, and despite attracting interest from the top-flight giants, Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman are reportedly confident that he will soon put pen to paper on fresh terms.
However, Roy Hodgson has nine players who will all be out of contract at the end of the season, including the likes of Jeffrey Schlupp, James Tomkins and Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace contracts), so he might be forced to cash in on some of them should he not want to risk losing them for free upon the conclusion of the campaign.
Selhurst Park centre-back Marc Guehi still has just under three years remaining on his deal, but having recently emerged as a serious transfer target for Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City, there’s a strong possibility that he is another who could be on the move.
Should he depart, Guehi will need to be the subject of a bid worth at least £50m which is the price tag that the hierarchy have set for their prized asset, but if they can help it, the 23-year-old is someone who they are hoping to keep in the building for the foreseeable future.
Crystal Palace want to keep Marc Guehi
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Dean Jones confirmed that Crystal Palace hope to retain Guehi by tabling him an improved contract with Eze. He said:
"Palace will want to tie him down [Eze]. We can see that this is a club who have little intention of letting players like him leave, same with Guehi. They want to build something at Palace. But the very least, if they're going to lose these players, then it has to be for top dollar.
"So you look to tie these players down, first and foremost, because you have got to protect their value and protect the club. But secondly, you want to also keep them so you can build something at Crystal Palace."
Standing at 5 foot 11, Guehi isn’t the tallest for a central defender but that hasn’t stopped him from being a rock at the heart of the backline this season where he’s currently averaging 4.6 clearances per league game for Crystal Palace (WhoScored – Guehi statistics).
The Abidjan native, who has been dubbed a “beast” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also extremely calm and composed in possession having recorded a 90.2% pass success rate since the start of the new campaign in the top-flight.
Furthermore, Guehi has the versatility to operate at left-back and right-back alongside his usual role, with his ability to provide cover in other positions making him a great option for the manager to have at his disposal (Transfermarkt – Guehi stats), so it’s vital that the board do everything they can to retain his services beyond January.
MatériaMais Notícias
Como parte do especial ‘Pelé, 80 anos em 80 dias’, o LANCE! traz hoje a reação de Rivaldo, ex-craque da Seleção Brasileira e campeão do mundo da Copa de2002, na Ásia, por conta do aniversário de Pelé, no último dia 23.
– Trata-se de um jogador inigualável que teve feitos notáveis, marcando mais de 1.000 gols em sua carreira e conquistando três Copas do Mundo. O Pelé é a marca registrada do futebol e não acredito que alguém possa se aproximar do que ele fez – afirmou Rivaldo.
Em entrevista à Betfair.net, Rivaldo também falou sobre a responsabilidade de ter sido um dos ‘herdeiros’ da mítica camisa 10 na Seleção Brasileira.
– Foi um orgulho tremendo ter tido a oportunidade de vestir a camisa 10 da Seleção Brasileira que ele elevou a patamares excepcionais. Embora muitos digam que camisas não têm peso, eu considero que foi uma grande responsabilidade que tive em ostentar a camisa 10 e me sinto um privilegiado por ter atuado com essa camisa, ter marcado oito gols em Copa do Mundo e ter conquistado o penta – relembrou Rivaldo.
– Também me sinto muito feliz por ter dado conta do recado quando tive essa difícil missão de ostentar uma camisa que foi usada pelo melhor jogador do Brasil e da história do futebol mundial. Foi uma grande honra ter tido essa oportunidade – finalizou.
Bangladesh will have to travel to Dubai after the match to meet India in the Super Four on Friday, while Afghanistan will stay put in Abu Dhabi, where they will meet Pakistan
The Preview by Mohammad Isam19-Sep-20182:19
Should Afghanistan and Bangladesh rest key players?
Big PictureHaving already qualified for the Super Four stage after knocking out Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will play the last league fixture in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The result of the match is truly inconsequential: no matter who finishes top of their respective groups, the tournament has been scheduled in such a manner that Bangladesh will face India in the first Super Four match on Friday, while Afghanistan will play Pakistan.This means Afghanistan can stay put in Abu Dhabi after the match, while Bangladesh will need to pack their bags after the match and head to Dubai to meet India the next day.Both teams could rest players, but the extra travel puts a greater strain on Bangladesh. They have some injury issues, so resting Shakib Al Hasan (finger) and Mushfiqur Rahim (rib) would make sense. It would also make sense for their captain Mashrafe Mortaza to rest on Thursday, instead of taking on the strain of back-to-back games for what is essentially a dead rubber. The likes of Abu Hider, Nazmul Islam and Ariful Haque will look to gain more exposure ahead of bigger challenges.Afghanistan will focus on a familiar template: bat steadily for much of their 50 overs and look up to their seamers to provide support to their in-form spinners.Rahmat Shah’s 72 off 90 balls against Sri Lanka in the previous match backed up a solid start from the openers and allowed the big-hitters to go after the bowlers in the end overs. Captain Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran, meanwhile, will look to make more substantial contributions with the bat, while Hashmatullah Shahidi, who made 37 against Sri Lanka, will hope to capitalise on such starts.But the key will be the three spinners – Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nabi. Bangladesh had a hard time against Rashid in the three T20Is in June this year. Can they find a way past him in the UAE?It might be a dead rubber, but both teams will be keen to build momentum and confidence going in to the business end of the tournament.Form guideAfghanistan: WWLWW (last five completed games, most recent first)
Bangladesh: WWLWLIn the spotlightMohammad Mithun made a confident 63 against Sri Lanka and helped Mushfiqur push the total beyond 250. Mithun has plenty of domestic and A team experience, but can he be consistent in international cricket and secure his middle-order position?Rahmat Shah, who top scored with 72 against Sri Lanka, has played the Dhaka Premier League, and will be a familiar opponent for most of the Bangladesh players.Team newsIf Afghanistan look to rotate their squad, wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad and seamers Aftab Alam and Guladin Naib might get a break. Munir Ahmed Kakar, Samiullah Shenwari, Sayed Shirzad and Wafadar are options to replace them.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2 Ihsanullah, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Asghar Afghan (capt), 5 Hashmatullah Shahidi, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Gulbadin Naib, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Aftab Alam, 11 Mujeeb Ur RahmanNazmul Hossain Shanto could open for Bangladesh in place of the injured Tamim Iqbal while Mominul Haque, Abu Hider, Nazmul Islam and Ariful Haque could get some game-time in place of the seniors.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Liton Das 2 Nazmul Hossain Shanto, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Mosaddek Hossain, 7 Mohammad Mithun, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsDew was either not present in Abu Dhabi, or had no effect judging from the evidence of Afghanistan spinners’ total dominance over Sri Lanka.Stats and TriviaMashrafe Mortaza is four wickets away from becoming the first Bangladeshi bowler to 250 ODI wickets. Overall, he will be the 17th fast bowler to the milestone.Bangladesh have won three out of the five ODIs against Afghanistan.Rahmat Shah is one match away from 50 ODIs. He will become the sixth Afghanistan player to the landmark after Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, Samiullah Shenwari, Dawlat Zadran and Asghar Afghan.Quotes”It is great to get off to a good start but what’s more important is that middle period; if you lose wickets in that period, then it really does hurt.”
As Liverpool look ahead to the looming January transfer window, both Jurgen Klopp and the club's support will be hoping to avoid a repeat scenario from the summer, in which much of the talk was centred around the future of lethal talisman, Mohamed Salah.
While the Egyptian goal machine ultimately stayed put at Anfield, there had been very real fears that he would join the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in moving to Saudi Arabia, having reportedly been the subject of a £215m bid from Al-Ittihad in early September.
To receive such an offer for a 31-year-old could likely have tempted the Reds into a sale, yet with the European window having already slammed shut, the inability to acquire a replacement was no doubt a factor in Klopp and co holding firm.
It is likely that with the club now once again in a strong position domestically – just a point behind leaders Manchester City – sanctioning the sale of their top scorer in January would be a no-no, yet there have been whispers that Saudi interest will renew in the New Year.
In the event that Salah – who has now scored 198 goals in 322 games for the club – is tempted to move on in 2024, either in the winter or next summer, those at Anfield will have to consider acquiring a suitable replacement to slot into that right-wing berth.
At present, the only natural fit among the club's attacking crop for that role appears to be 17-year-old sensation, Ben Doak, hence the need for a more proven and experienced asset to step in.
Liverpool transfer news – Mo Salah replacements
One name that has been doing the rounds of late is Bayern Munich's, Leroy Sane, with the former Manchester City man reportedly of interest to the Premier League outfit with just 18 months left to run on his existing deal.
The German speedster has been in sparkling form this season under Thomas Tuchel after scoring nine goals and contributing seven assists in all competitions, hence the interest from those on Merseyside.
That being said, an undoubtedly suitable candidate could also have presented himself within English football, with West Ham United talisman, Jarrod Bowen having also caught the eye of Klopp and his staff – as well as Newcastle United.
That interest – which was noted by talkSPORT back in October – may well have been scuppered somewhat by the England international only recently signing a new long-term deal with the Hammers, yet if a handsome offer is received for Salah, those funds could be reinvested in a sizeable bid for the 26-year-old.
The former Hull City man has long been linked with a move to Anfield and has even been dubbed an "unbelievable" player by Klopp, hence why now could well be the right time for the Reds to finally make their move.
Jarrod Bowen's season by numbers
For much of last season, it was largely a tale of woe for West Ham and for Bowen, with David Moyes' side finding themselves in and around the relegation zone, while the usually reliable winger netted just six league goals – after scoring 12 times the previous campaign.
Amid all that frustration, the 2022/23 season ultimately ended on a high for Moyes and co as they romped to Europa Conference League glory, with Bowen netting the decisive goal at the death in the showpiece win over Fiorentina.
Buoyed by that match-winning involvement, the one-time Hereford United man has carried that momentum into this term, having already bettered last year's goal tally with eight goals in just 12 Premier League games thus far.
While the Irons' league form has still been somewhat mixed, the £120k-per-week wizard has undoubtedly been a shining light from the flanks, having also created three 'big chances' and averaged 1.4 tackles per game – illustrating the full array of his qualities, both in and out of possession.
Club
Games
Goals
Assists
Liverpool
8
1
2
Manchester City
9
2
0
Arsenal
8
4
1
Chelsea
9
1
4
Tottenham
9
1
0
Manchester United
11
0
1
Stats via Transfermarkt
As a left-footed asset who loves to cut in from the right wing, it is evidently clear why Bowen has been noted as the "perfect replacement" for Salah by teammate, Michail Antonio, as "everything he is touching is turning to gold right now".
How Jarrod Bowen compares to Mo Salah
The in-form "bags-man" – as described by Antonio – would have big shoes to fill were he to move to Anfield, yet there have been signs that he has the necessary traits and qualities to ably take on the Egyptian's mantle.
That was notably true following his remarkable touch and finish against Brighton and Hove Albion earlier this season, as the in-demand ace killed the ball dead with ease before prodding past the onrushing goalkeeper in a manner that Salah himself would be proud of.
In fact, that effort was perhaps somewhat reminiscent of the goal that the latter man himself scored against the Hammers, ironically, a few years ago on the counter, with it easy to see the comparison between those two composed finishes.
While Bowen has scored fewer goals (eight v ten) and provided fewer assists than his Liverpool counterpart (one v four) in the top flight this season, it's worth remembering that Salah didn't truly explode until moving to Anfield at 25 – just a year younger than the West Ham man is now.
Having joined from Roma in 2017, the one-time Chelsea flop went on to score 32 league goals in his debut season under Klopp, having previously netted career-best figures of 15 league goals in Serie A the year prior.
As such, with Bowen showing promising signs of late – and in the Premier League to boot – his impressive rise could be set to sky-rocket if nurtured under the German's wing, with there few better options to fill that potential void on the flanks.
While it remains to be seen just how much the Leominster-born sensation would cost – having been valued at €50m (£44m), as per CIES Football Observatory – any deal could be worth every penny to find what could be the 'perfect' Salah successor.