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Liverpool have already been linked with a host of wingers ahead of the transfer window, and their approach to the rumors tells us a lot about the search for Mohamed Salah’s successor.
As has been the case with several rumored targets already this summer, it didn’t take long for trusted Liverpool sources to quash links with Newcastle’s Yankuba Minteh.
It is clear that the Reds have no interest in seeing their name in favor of agents in the coming period, or as a tool to help their rivals with their PSR concerns.
But while reports tearing down exciting player links can sometimes seem to suck the fun out of the transfer window, they can also offer little insights into what Liverpool actually plan to do.
And that is especially true in the case of Minteh, who felt like the 100th left-footed right winger who has been linked with a move to Anfield in recent months.
WHO it is not off
PSV Eindhoven starlet Johan Bakayoko is the most prominent example of this phenomenon and, crucially, there has still been no attempt to dismiss these links.
The same goes for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeum, who has all the earmarks of a Michael Edwards-era signing in the mold of Diogo Jota.
And both of them were joined on the supposed shortlist by Dario Osorio, who has just enjoyed a fantastic debut season with Midtjylland moving from the right wing to – you guessed it – his left foot.
While not every rumor will have substance, it seems that links to such a similar profile of an attacker have continued to emerge recently.
Why are interest rates leaking?
If this is the market Liverpool are following, then they are being asked to make trial contact with agents to assess the terms of multiple deals before making any decisions.
And it is at this point that information begins to trickle out, offering fans a hint of which positions the club’s recruiting staff are looking to strengthen.
True, the signs that the right winger could be a target were probably there in the slightly unbalanced squad that Arne Slott will inherit this summer.
For starters, the Dutchman has an embarrassment of riches on the left, with Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Jota and even Darwin Nunez all capable of playing there.
That would still be true even if Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain stepped up their interest in Diaz, although that has yet to happen.
Next Mo Salah
In contrast, options on the right wing are relatively scarce, a fact that owes much to Salah who has been a virtual presence since his arrival in the summer of 2017.
In the past, leaving that position solely to the Egyptian made sense given his outstanding availability and world-class performances.
However, with question marks surrounding his future emerging recently, it would be wise for Liverpool to begin the process of preparing for the future now.
• READ: 25 goals, 14 assists…and another 12 months – What awaits Mohamed Salah?
There may be no chance of Salah leaving this summer, but negotiating a new deal with a £350,000-a-week player who won’t take a pay cut won’t be easy.
What’s more, there were small signs of decline in the second half of last season that underscored why the Reds are usually so wary of handing out deals to players on the wrong side of 30.
As such, there is an argument to be made that, even if new terms are agreed in the coming months, an addition on the right wing is necessary this summer.
What should we expect?
Previously, the support role for Salah fell to Harvey Elliott, but his lack of electric pace and growing influence from a central position make a strong case for ending that experiment.
Instead, the ideal candidate for the job would be a youngster who profiles similarly to Liverpool’s number 11, and who is capable of replacing him in the long term.
Of course, with the Reds’ start to the summer defined by an endless flurry of links with such a player, it is not easy to determine who could be targeted at this early stage.
But the most encouraging aspect of these endless rumors is that they suggest the club have recognized a need that most fans would have as a priority going forward.
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