'Eye-watering' - Michael Owen urges Liverpool to walk away from £145m Mohamed Salah replacement

Owen believes PSG could force Liverpool into paying an extortionate transfer fee for Barcola. The Reds are actively looking for a new winger ahead of the transfer deadline following Salah's departure to Trabzonspor as a free agent. The Egyptian's sudden exit has left Liverpool scrambling to fill a massive void in their forward line.

While players like Yan Diomande and Ibrahim Mbaye have been linked, 23-year-old Frenchman Barcola has emerged as Liverpool's priority. However, PSG's £145 million price tag threatens to stall any potential deal.

Speaking to the ECHO, Owen expressed deep shock at the numbers being discussed for the PSG forward. He believes the French champions are capitalising on Liverpool's urgent need to replace Salah.

"That sounds extortionate, doesn't it? For someone that's not proven in the Premier League," Owen stated. "Obviously played at the highest level, but, yeah, at some point you've got to say no, haven't you? If it gets to £145m, I mean, wow, that's eye-watering.

"I mean, I went on record a couple of months ago saying if I was Liverpool, I'd go and try to get Jared Bowen from West Ham to replace Salah. I thought that made a lot of sense.

"But, obviously, that doesn't look possible anymore, so they're going to have to. And the problem is everybody knows you're desperate for a top-class player, so you're going to have to pay through the nose. That might be just what you have to do. But it sounds extortionate, doesn't it? £145 million, that's the number that you're saying."

Filling Salah's shoes represents an enormous challenge for the club's recruitment team. Across nine years on Merseyside, the 34-year-old scored 257 goals and provided 123 assists in 442 appearances. His historic contribution helped secure two Premier League titles and a Champions League crown. The Reds now face a rare lack of elite wide options compared to previous eras featuring Salah, Sadio Mane, and Luis Diaz.

"You know, it used to be Salah, and Mane and Diaz," Owen added. "There's so many great wide players [at Liverpool] over the years. And it feels like there's a dearth of them, of course, now at Liverpool.

"They probably need two. They certainly need one. So, yeah, I mean, they do probably need to invest heavily in that type of position. And he [Barcola] seems to be one that's available, that's got the quality. And it sounds like there's no smoke without fire. It sounds like they'd be interested, but a lot will depend on the price, I guess."

With a move for Bowen no longer possible, Liverpool must decide whether to meet PSG's demands or pivot to alternative targets. PSG hold Barcola under contract until 2028, placing them under no pressure to lower their price.

The Reds need at least one high-quality wide player before the summer transfer window closes. If PSG refuse to compromise on their asking price, Anfield officials will be forced to walk away and pursue other wide targets before the deadline.