Liverpool urged to sign 'statement footballer' Harry Kane to replace Mohamed Salah this summer - but Joe Cole also refuses to rule out 'naughty' transfer to Arsenal or Chelsea for Bayern Munich striker

Salah's eight-year stay at Liverpool looks to be winding down as the Egyptian's contract expires at the end of the season, and it seems that an extension is not on its way at the moment. As such, the Reds may well start next season without Salah, and Premier League legend Cole has urged the Merseyside club to sign a "statement footballer" to replace him.

Kane has been enjoying life at Bayern Munich since leaving Tottenham in 2023, however, the England captain has been linked with a potential return to the Premier League this summer with an eye on breaking Alan Shearer's record for the most goals in the English top division. Cole has suggested that Liverpool should be going for Kane, but also claimed that Arsenal or Chelsea could make a "naughty" move for the striker.

Speaking to Paddy Power, former Chelsea and Liverpool winger Cole said: "Every Premier League club need Harry Kane, barring Manchester City as they’ve got Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush.

"If Mo Salah leaves, Liverpool will need a statement footballer, and Kane would be good there as he can score loads of goals and win trophies. And for him, it would be more acceptable to go to Liverpool from Tottenham.

"Now the real naughty ones are Arsenal and Chelsea, who are both desperate for a new striker, but that would reverberate around North London. Harry Kane needs to shop at the top market, so I don’t think any of the teams in the bracket below will entice him to come back to England, it’ll have to be a team that’s realistically got a shot of winning the league."

The Premier League leaders' first priority remains to try and convince Salah to extend his contract at Anfield past the summer. However, if the Egyptian does not extend, the Reds will jump into the summer market and look to sign a new superstar forward.