Liverpool’s choice to turn down every offer from Al-Ittihad for Mohamed Salah prior to the transfer window closing has been amply validated, and their Egyptian king is a major factor in why they are currently back in the Premier League’s top four and hoping to mount an unexpected title challenge.
Though the Reds’ reluctance to let the winger to depart was completely expected given his continued significance to Jurgen Klopp’s squad, there was a sense that they were only delaying the inevitable. No matter how much money is on the table, it’s still hard to envisage Salah leaving during the January transfer window, but things might be completely different by next summer.
With just one year remaining on his contract and his upcoming 32nd birthday in June, it would be prudent for Liverpool to finally cash in on their star attacker. Of course, even with some great possibilities, it won’t be simple to locate a substitute.
But at the moment, Leroy Sane is the name that’s stirring up more transfer rumors than anyone else. And although it makes sense that Liverpool would consider the Bayern Munich player to be the perfect Salah replacement, it also makes sense for the supporters to be somewhat skeptical.
A well-known enemy
Liverpool is well aware of Sane’s potential for danger. He scored four goals against the Reds during his time at Manchester City, sending them to their lone Premier League loss of the 2018–19 season. This, of course, was a major factor in the conclusion of one of the most intense and closely contested title chases in history.
The supporters will also recall, though, that Sane was no longer a lock to start at the Etihad by the time of that historic match. Even though Sane had a career-high 16 goals that season, there were growing rumors that he wanted to leave.
Guardiola did not conceal the fact that he was no longer completely satisfied with the PFA Young Player of the Year winner for the 2017–18 season. The problem was the work-rate of Sane. Guardiola acknowledged that he was annoyed by Sane’s renownedly relaxed demeanor because he thought it was holding the striker back and that he wasn’t doing his defensive duties when City was not in possession.
“I like to be critical of him sometimes, and I am very demanding of him,” the Catalan coach admitted to reporters in April 2019. “We know his potential and we want to help him to be more consistent in his game.”
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