The £70m “machine” looks set to sign for Liverpool

How do Liverpool replace a player like Mohamed Salah? The truth is, you don’t have one.

The Egyptian was a great image, an icon, a modern legend during his time at Anfield. You don’t look at someone of that quality and stand still and expect to replace them easily.

Although he was not in the same ballpark as Salah, Liverpool have already seen that in recent years with Fabinho.

The Reds are still looking for a replacement after he left three years ago. Maybe they can finally stumble upon their new version this summer.

Liverpool are eyeing a big-money midfielder

In an attempt to replace Salah, the Merseysiders are reportedly looking at a host of interesting names from PSG’s Bradley Barcola to RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande.

The latter is widely thought to be their top target in the summer and with Football FanCast sources revealing earlier this year that a deal was close on personal terms, club-to-club talks are expected to open soon over a deal.

Michael Olise, formerly of Crystal Palace, is also said to be a target, but getting him out of Bayern Munich, who won the Bundesliga and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, sounds like an almost impossible task.

However, speaking of Palace, he is not the only one linked with Selhurst Park to move to Anfield this summer.

In recent days, it has emerged that Liverpool have reached advanced negotiation stages in their bid to sign Adam Wharton from the Eagles.

With a fee of £70m being paid, Reds journalist James Wathland provided the latest on the deal this weekend. Speaking on social media, he said: “All parties close to Adam Wharton’s deal expect him to be a Liverpool player this summer.”

Wharton is loved by a number of clubs in the Premier League, not least Manchester United who are on the hunt for Casemiro’s replacement.

Why Wharton could be Liverpool’s new Fabinho

It’s safe to say that Liverpool fans will be hoping that the club’s efforts to replace Salah are much better than their efforts to replace Fabinho.

Although Ryan Gravenberch played a deep role in last season’s Premier League title win, his performance has declined in recent weeks, to the extent that he has not started two of the last three league games.

In their quest to find a replacement for Fabinho, they have tried and failed to sign the best midfielders in the world. They were almost ready to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton, only Chelsea would steal the deal, and they were also negotiating with Martin Zubimendi.

The Spaniard eventually turned down the Reds and went on to sign for Arsenal last summer instead.

Liverpool will be wary of a third lightning strike with Wharton but if they can get a deal over the line, it would be a great acquisition.

While Wharton may not be as aggressive and ruthless as Fabinho once was in the middle of the pitch at Anfield, the England international’s qualities mean he could be their best midfielder since the Brazilian was on Merseyside.

Unlike the former Liverpool number 6, the Palace star can actually offer more from midfield. Why? However, he certainly has more strength and legs in terms of his performance.

While he’s not as prolific as Fabinho – Wharton only wins a measly 1.15 duels per 90 – he’s as adept at reading the game as the Brazilian, racking up 6.32 rebounds per 90. That number puts him in the top 25% of midfielders on the continent. He is also very good when it comes to driving slides.

A true deep-lying player, the Englishman is a marvel in advanced play, hailed as a “passing machine” by journalist Henry Winter.

This season, the 22-year-old ranks in the top 11% of midfielders in Europe in progressive measures. He is one of the best passers in all of football right now, completing 4.99 continuous passes per 90 minutes, which is enough to put him in the top 8% of midfielders in Europe in that metric.

In addition, he remains within the best 1% for completed balls. This is a player who will not only disrupt play like the great defensive midfielders of the past, but someone who will get Liverpool on the front foot very quickly. That will no doubt be music to the ears of Alexander Isak and Co.