Liverpool's Mohamed Salah replacement: If not Antoine Semenyo, then who? Eight transfer options for Arne Slot & Co. as Egyptian's exit looms

Probably an outsider in this succession contest, Bakayoko has long been rumoured to be a target for Liverpool since breaking through at PSV Eindhoven - even pronouncing in January 2025 that he could "definitely join" the Reds after a Champions League goal against them. However, those links have gone quiet of late and the Belgian has since taken the next step in his career.

The winger joined RB Leipzig in the summer in what seems like a classic stepping-stone move, but after a fast start he has faded and now finds himself reduced to a bit-part role in eastern Germany. It would be little surprise if the Reds were still monitoring him, and he could represent a cheaper, short-term fix if Salah departs as early as January.

There was a sense that Barcola was 'the other winger' at Paris Saint-Germain last season, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue hogging the limelight as the French giants surged to that elusive first-ever Champions League crown. His status as third-choice wide man in the French capital led to genuine links with Liverpool back in the summer, and those have now resurfaced with Salah's future in serious doubt.

However, Doue's injury problems in the opening months of 2025-26 have enabled Barcola to reclaim a starting berth, and the fact that his team-mate still hasn't returned to action as the January transfer window approaches pretty much rules out the possibility of an exit in the New Year. That said, the Reds may well have done the groundwork for a summer deal that would cost north of €100 million (£88m/$117m).

A big reason why the aforementioned Bakayoko has struggled for game time of late, Diomande has been a revelation for Leipzig this season. Signing the Ivorian looks like a typically shrewd piece of business by the Red Bull Group; the 19-year-old cost just €20m (£17.5m/$23.5m) when he arrived from Leganes in the summer, and the Bundesliga club already look set to make a handsome profit on their investment.

Head coach Ole Werner's decision to switch Diomande from the left to the right flank in October has proven to be transformative, yielding a ridiculous nine goal involvements in his last seven games, including a second-half hat-trick against Frankfurt. A rapid, dazzling dribbler who clearly has an eye for goal, the young Ivorian could be the ideal long-term successor to Salah - but Leipzig will be in no rush to let him go.

One of the unsung stars of the Premier League season so far, Ouattara has given Brentford bang for their buck following his club-record £42.5m ($57m) move from Bournemouth in the summer. The versatile Burkina Faso attacker has been instrumental in his side's unexpected surge up the table under Keith Andrews in the first half of the season, racking up a combined seven goals and assists at the time of writing, despite missing the opening two games of the campaign through injury.

Albeit he is a left-field option, as someone who is Premier League proven and still just 23 years old, Ouattara would surely represent better value for money than a number of other names on this list, with Liverpool's summer spending spree allaying the need to necessarily replace Salah with another bonafide superstar. Like the man whose big shoes he would be stepping into, he could develop into a hero at Anfield.

Depending on who you believe, Pulisic has been on Liverpool's radar for years - dating back to the American star's breakthrough at Borussia Dortmund, when ex-BVB boss Jurgen Klopp was in charge at Anfield. He has since played for Chelsea and AC Milan without the Reds ever formalising their reported interest, perhaps biding their time in the background, but now may be the opportune moment to strike, especially in light of the unfolding Salah saga.

After an injury-hit spell at Stamford Bridge, Pulisic has largely overcome his fitness issues and excelled in Italy across two-and-a-bit impressive seasons, culminating in him emerging as Serie A's joint top-scorer this term alongside Inter hitman Lautaro Martinez with seven goals, while he has 11 contributions in 12 games in all competitions. Granted, he has been playing more centrally of late, but the USMNT talisman has developed into exactly the kind of influential attacker Liverpool may have been playing the long game for.

The glamour option, Liverpool have been touted as a potential destination for Rodrygo pretty much since Xabi Alonso took the reins at Real Madrid in the summer, with the Brazil international evidently not really fancied by the new manager; he's played fewer than 400 minutes across Los Blancos' 14 La Liga games so far. That, combined with Salah's outburst, has inevitably led to those transfer rumours resurfacing.

But with two-and-a-half years still remaining on his contract, Rodrygo wouldn't come cheap - probably commanding a fee north of €100m - and he may now be inclined to wait out the remainder of Alonso's tenure as pressure mounts on the former Liverpool player after a downturn in form and results at the Bernabeu. A new manager would bring a fresh start. It's also pretty clear he doesn't actually want to leave Madrid. "As long as Real Madrid wants me, I'll be here," he said in October.

Williams should finally be on the move in the coming months despite committing his immediate future to Athletic Club just last summer, much to Barcelona's expense and embarrassment. As they start to plan for life without Salah, it would be no surprise to see Liverpool position themselves to land Nico as soon as possible; the Spain international represents a gettable, top-level winger target who has the potential to be a long-term replacement for the Egyptian, although it would require some positional flexibility as he is predominantly a left-winger.

Competition for the 23-year-old's signature could prove to be the most significant stumbling block to getting their man, though. It has previously been reported that Barcelona is his preferred destination, although those bridges may have been burned. Arsenal and Bayern Munich are other European big hitters who are believed to harbour a serious interest in the wide man, whose new release clause stands at a competitive €90m (£79m/$106m).

But do Liverpool actually need to spend a penny? That's a question they will seriously need to weigh up, as they have someone in their ranks who could genuinely save them a significant sum of money in the long run, but backing him will take a hell of a lot of trust from Slot and the club's board. Faced with the unenviable task of replacing Salah, could Rio Ngumoha fill the void for the Reds?

The 17-year-old has generational potential, and it has been reported that previous transfer pursuits - such as in the case of Barcola - have been called off so as not to block the youngster's pathway to the first team. The Egyptian's exit will clear it altogether. Liverpool also shouldn't need the kind of output from their new right-winger that Salah has delivered year on year, with the intention of spending more than £240m ($322m) on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz surely to ensure that that burden is shared going forward.