How Liverpool could sign their new Salah and Mane in the transfer window

Liverpool are used to change, but the departure of Mohamed Salah at the end of a long and decorated Anfield career was a poignant moment at the end of the 2025/26 season.

At a low ebb after a tough year, the Kop sang for the Egyptian forward, who broke free from his two-year contract at the midpoint, closing the door on a career in English football that has cemented him as one of the greatest to do it in the Premier League.

While a few of the old guard remain, Andoni Iraola‘s Liverpool is taking a different shape, but finding someone to cover Salah’s ground will be a difficult task indeed – some would name it impossible.

However, Liverpool have a knack at weathering such storms. After all, they managed to replace Sadio Mane several years ago.

How Liverpool replaced Sadio Mane

Salah is the definitive attacking superstar of contemporary times at Liverpool, but Mane was every bit as thrilling in his Liverpool journey, “one of the best players in the world” when at the peak of his powers, according to former Senegal coach Aliou Cisse.

Signed from Southampton for £34m, Mane grew into a superstar under Jurgen Klopp, and when he left for Bayern Munich at the end of the 2022/23 season, it felt like replacing him would be a fool’s game.

But FSG had already covered that base, having signed Luis Diaz from Porto in a deal rising to £49m in January 2023. The Colombian brought pace and electricity to the left flank, later playing a makeshift role at centre-forward under Arne Slot in 2024/25, helping that team to the Premier League title, with 17 goals and eight assists in all competitions.

Diaz might not have reached Mane and Salah levels for the Merseysiders, but he played a crucial role in winning a series of titles, filling Mane’s boots with his electric and unpredictable performances in attack.

Now playing for Bayern Munich after being sold for £65.5m last summer, Liverpool made a big mistake in failing to draft in a like-for-like replacement, and it’s not something they can allow to repeat itself with Salah.

Liverpool in talks to sign their next Mane & Salah

Liverpool are building themselves back up under Iraola’s wing. But they will find themselves hamstrung without proper recruitment in key attacking areas.

According to Fabrizio Romano, FSG hope to resolve this issue by signing Ibrahim Mbaye and Bradley Barcola in a double deal. Reds interest in the pair is not new information, but Romano believes Liverpool are keen on completing a €200m (£170m) move for the respective wingers, who could take position on either side of Iraola’s frontline.

All summer, Liverpool have been engaged in protracted talks with PSG over a marquee move for Barcola. The Les Bleus attacker is resolved to leave the French capital this summer, having rejected a contract extension and agreed personal terms with Liverpool. However, PSG’s record-breaking asking price is proving a stumbling block for the Anfield side.

REUTERS/Vincent Carchietta

Mbaye, a right sider, is viewed in a different light. He is only 18 years old, but has emerged as one of the most exciting young prospects in Europe, hailed as the “next Kylian Mbappe” by GOAL. Direct and pacy, Mbaye is a fearless forward, already showing that he has the potential to emulate his Senegalese countryman Sadio Mane.

These are two forwards at different stages of their respective careers, but Liverpool could certainly hit the jackpot by pulling off a statement dual signing.

Barcola, after all, has actually been likened to the Egyptian King. He is one of the most goal-hungry wingers in the world, bagging 34 goals across two recent title-winning terms for PSG. Anfield Index’s Dave Hendrick has recently hailed him as a “superstar” forward who is “the closest thing to Salah” that Liverpool might find in the transfer market.

Well then, Liverpool could certainly do worse than pull off such a signing. While Rio Ngumoha is expected to feature prominently down the right flank to help ease Liverpool’s need for new forwards, Mbaye would be the perfect up-and-comer to jockey with him for a starting berth, allowing Barcola to grow into his skin as the club’s new attacking ‘superstar’.

Liverpool need to get these deals done. It is no secret that FSG are searching for a few new wide forwards after such dour returns in the Premier League last season, and in Barcola and Mbaye, they might just land a world-class duo who can recover some of the essence of a previous golden era at Anfield.