Don Hutchison has named one ‘amazing’ winger who could be an ideal successor to Mo Salah at Liverpool when the time comes to replace the Egyptian.
The Reds attacker was the subject of a £150m transfer offer from the Saudi Pro League last year, and his future could be the topic of much discussion in the coming months in the wake of Jurgen Klopp leaving at the end of this season and the 31-year-old’s contract expiring in June 2025.
Speaking on ESPN FC, the former Anfield midfielder was asked who he’d like to see LFC signing if they were to sell their legendary number 11 this summer and duly have a vast transfer budget available.
Hutchison replied: “How much money have we got? Is it fantasy football?”; and when £150m was suggested to him, he continued: “[Kylian] Mbappe. Free transfer, give them the £150m. Boom, that a statement signing. Or, if you want to go a cheaper route, Jarrod Bowen.”
That answer prompted laughter in studio from Dan Thomas and Shaka Hislop, but the ex-Liverpool player shot back: “Hey, don’t laugh! He’s in amazing form. I’ve just said if you’ve got unlimited money, it’s Mbappe. If you want to go the cheaper route, Jarrod Bowen.”
Theoretically, Liverpool might be in a position to try and persuade Mbappe over a move to Anfield if they were to cash in on Salah for a fee in the region of £150m this year.
However, we’ve tended to be more measured in our transfer dealings under FSG’s ownership, which’d make someone like Bowen – who West Ham signed for just £22m four years ago (Sky Sports) – a much more realistic target even if a vast budget were available.
The 27-year-old has been in fine form this season (14 goals in 27 games), Premier League proven (38 goals in 152 appearances), can rise to the big occasion (scored the Irons’ winner in last year’s Europa Conference League final) and would help towards satisfying the squad’s homegrown quota requirements.
Liverpool could certainly do a lot worse than look at him if they start to look at life beyond Salah in the foreseeable future.
You can view Hutchison’s comments below (from 10:32), via ESPN FC on YouTube: