Liverpool’s search for a replacement for Mohamed Salah continues, with there being no guarantees that he will stay beyond the end of this season as it stands.
The Reds signed Federico Chiesa during the summer transfer window in a cut-price deal. The Italian international’s minutes have been limited due to fitness and injury issues so far this season, so it’s yet to be seen whether he can replace Salah in the longer term.
There are few players out there who are performing to the level required to properly replace the Egyptian, but there are a number of younger prospects who could have the potential to become top class players in the next five years.
The signing of Rio Ngumoha shows where Liverpool are trying to gain an edge on their Premier League rivals – by getting some of the most talented young players in the door before they become superstars.
Liverpool were linked with some other young players during the summer, and it’s now been confirmed that they made a bid for one before the transfer window shut.
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Dario Osorio, the 20-year-old Chilean international who became a Danish league winner after his first season with Midtjylland was the subject of rumours of a €10m bid from the Reds, which has been confirmed by Danish paper Tipsbladet.
According to the report, Liverpool put in a bid for Osorio but Midtjylland rejected it as “the amount and the offer did not give rise to further thought” at the time.
The Danish side “have no interest whatsoever in selling [Osorio] for anything other than a record amount.”
Record transfer
The current record transfer for a player leaving the Superliga is €25m for Ernest Nuamah in 2023, so if Liverpool are to go back in for Osorio they will need to up their bid significantly.
He scored five goals in 14 regular Superliga games last season before adding three – and two assists – as Midtjylland claimed the title after nine more Championship round games.
His form this season has been less impressive, notching up one goal and one assist in eleven games so far.
Osorio fits the brief of what Liverpool are looking for in an attacker, playing as a left-footed right winger, and he could be groomed as long-term replacement for Salah in the Reds attack.
According to the report, before Midtjylland managed to buy Osorio close to the transfer deadline in August 2023, AC Milan had tried to persuade the young Chilean to make a move, and a number of other bigger clubs were also interested.
West Ham, Brighton, FC Porto, Napoli and even Real Madrid looked at Osorio, who was also on Liverpool’s list at that time.
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