While Liverpool might have eventually dragged themselves over the finishing line as they clung to an essential Champions League ticket, the Anfield hierarchy are under a tremendous amount of pressure this summer.
Failing to win any of their final four Premier League appearances, the now-former English champions broke a string of unwanted records during the 2025/26 campaign and fans around the red half of Merseyside have made their frustrations clear.
However, while Liverpool might have stated that Arne Slot will be the man in charge come next season, the Dutch tactician faces a major overhaul at Anfield.
Alongside watching Andy Robertson leave the club this summer, Liverpool bid an emotional farewell to their iconic attacking talisman following Sunday’s 1-1 draw at home against Brentford.
Officially announcing back in March that he will be leaving Anfield and drawing a line under his historic nine-year spell on Merseyside, Liverpool have a monumental job on their hands in the race to replace Mohamed Salah.
While the 2025/26 campaign might have only officially come to an end a matter of days ago, their sole focus is on getting a new era underway and finding a way to replace the record-breaking Salah.
Salah officially bids farewell to Anfield
While it might have been suggested that the writing was on the wall for Salah following his public fallout with Slot prior to heading to the 2026 AFCON with Egypt, the footballing world was left stunned when his decision was made official back in March.
Posting an emotional message to Liverpool supporters, Salah announced that he would be drawing a line under his iconic nine-season spell at Anfield and leaves the Reds as one of the most influential players in their illustrious history.
Joining from Roma back in 2017 for a fee of £34million, Liverpool’s history-making superstar has been the poster boy at Anfield for almost a decade and will certainly leave an almighty void in the red half of Merseyside.
Bagging an astonishing 257 goals during his iconic stint with the Premier League giants, Salah sits ahead of the likes of Sir Kenny Dalglish, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen in Liverpool’s all-time leading goalscoring charts. In fact, only Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285) have scored more.
Getting his hands on nine pieces of major silverware during his historic nine-year stint at Anfield, the Egyptian talisman also secured two Premier League titles and Champions League glory in 2019.
Set to leave the Premier League as one of the greatest signings in English history, the 33-year-old astonishingly averages a goal or an assist every 94 minutes and it is hard to comprehend the seismic impact that Salah has made at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah is to bring the curtain down on his illustrious career with Liverpool Football Club at the end of the 2025-26 season.
The time to fully celebrate his legacy and achievements will follow later in the year when he bids farewell to Anfield ❤️
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 24, 2026
Diomande or Barcola?
Since Salah’s departure was made official back in March, it is no secret that the Anfield hierarchy have been working tirelessly behind the scenes in an attempt to fill the Egyptian’s huge void ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Although fans around Merseyside would have been desperate for their modern era icon to extend his stay at Anfield for another campaign, this is the chance for Liverpool to take their attack in a more youthful direction.
Following the blockbuster arrivals of both Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak last summer, the Reds have their sights set on once again breaking the bank and making another marquee attacking signing.
While the English duo of Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon might have tentatively been linked with their own respective moves to Anfield, it appears that Liverpool have narrowed their wishlist down to two European starlets.
Although Yan Diomande might have only arrived in the Bundesliga last summer, the 19-year-old has embarked on a sensational maiden campaign among Germany’s elite. Playing a leading role as RB Leipzig clinched a lucrative Champions League return, the Ivory Coast international has a string of European giants chasing his signature.
Registering 20 direct goal contributions in his 33 Bundesliga appearances this season (12 goals, eight assists), Diomande is widely regarded as one of Europe’s hottest young attacking prospects and The Athletic reported last week that Liverpool are a huge admirer of the Leipzig’s budding superstars.
Likewise, while Bradley Barcola might have his full attention fixed on PSG’s blockbuster Champions League final showdown against Arsenal this weekend, there remains a huge amount of scrutiny over his domestic future with the reigning European champions.
With some suggestions that the French international could be allowed to leave Paris should an acceptable offer come their way, Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano is suggesting that Liverpool are keeping a close eye on Barcola’s situation and have held discussions over a potential swoop.
🚨 Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool are both in talks with Yan Diomande’s camp over move this summer.
Decision up to Diomandé but also RB Leizpig after they had offered new deal + release clause.
👀 #LFC also have Bradley Barcola high on shortlist.
🎥 https://t.co/tLtVv4knUX pic.twitter.com/Nb1Z4oeipJ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 26, 2026
