Club legend says the team needs “surgery” after difficult season
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen believes the club will need only limited changes to the squad this summer but says replacing Mohamed Salah must be the priority.
Salah is expected to leave Anfield at the end of the season alongside veteran full-back Andy Robertson, while uncertainty also surrounds goalkeeper Alisson Becker amid reports linking him with a move to Juventus.
Liverpool are also believed to be looking at reinforcements at right-back, in midfield and in attack after heavy spending last summer. However, Owen questioned how much money remains available after the club’s reported £450m outlay.
“They are going to have to do only a little bit of surgery on the team; they have spent a fortune [last year],” Owen said.
“I know they recouped a lot of money last year [around £260m] but they spent a lot of it and I doubt they have any left to spend again but they are going to have to replace Salah, that’s the first port of call.
“There’s no one in the team currently who is like Salah, a right-sided attacker. There are plenty of options going forward but none on the right side.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool were without several key players in training on Wednesday. Salah, Alisson, Alexander Isak and Ibrahima Konate were all absent.
Isak missed the defeat to Manchester United with a minor groin issue, while Salah is recovering from a hamstring injury but hopes to return before the final game of the season against Brentford.
Alisson is also nearing a comeback from a hamstring problem, although he was not included in the club’s latest training photographs. The reason for Konate’s absence has not been disclosed.
