Liverpool Will Sign Mohamed Salah 2.0 as Richard Hughes Inches Closer to Agreement
Richard Hughes appears set to secure Liverpool’s next Mohamed Salah during the upcoming summer transfer window.
Reflecting on the 2013/14 season, Liverpool were performing exceptionally well under Brendan Rodgers. However, the club sought to bolster their attacking options with an additional forward.
During that period, the recruitment team identified Mohamed Salah, a promising Egyptian winger from FC Basel. Liverpool made an attempt to secure his signature, eager to add him to their squad.
Ultimately, Chelsea emerged victorious in the battle for Salah’s services. Jose Mourinho managed to persuade him to join the London club instead, altering the course of his career. One can only speculate on how events might have unfolded had Liverpool succeeded in bringing him to Anfield.
Had Salah been wearing Liverpool’s red on that fateful day when Steven Gerrard slipped, the outcome of that season might have been entirely different.
In an unexpected turn of events, Salah eventually made his way to Liverpool three years later, and the rest, as they say, is history.
This summer, Liverpool are set to sign a player who has experienced a similar near-miss with the club—only this time, the move has been nearly a decade in the making.
Why Liverpool Will Sign Alexander Isak
Recent reports indicate that Liverpool are leading the race to sign Alexander Isak. According to talkSPORT, the Reds are prepared to include other players in a potential deal with Newcastle to secure the Swedish forward.
Additionally, The Times has reported that Newcastle have shown interest in Jarell Quansah.
Considering these developments, it appears that Richard Hughes is making significant progress toward reaching an agreement for Isak—something Michael Edwards was unable to achieve in the past.
Back in 2016, Sport reported that Liverpool had identified Isak as a potential signing. At the time, he was a promising teenage talent at AIK, and the club was looking to strengthen Jürgen Klopp’s attacking options.
However, much like the case of Mohamed Salah in 2014, the transfer did not materialise. Instead, Isak opted for Borussia Dortmund, drawn by the club’s reputation for developing young players.
Under Thomas Tuchel, however, Isak struggled to get opportunities at Dortmund—similar to how Salah was overlooked by José Mourinho at Chelsea.
This phase in Isak’s career, much like Salah’s stint at Chelsea, led to doubts about his potential. However, statistical data suggests that Isak performed well despite limited game time.
In total, Isak played just 236 minutes for Borussia Dortmund across the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal. Despite this, he recorded an average of 0.38 goals and 0.38 assists per 90 minutes.
Essentially, this means he contributed to 0.72 goals per 90 minutes—a respectable return for a player often labelled as an unsuccessful signing.
During his time with Borussia Dortmund’s second team, Alexander Isak averaged 0.63 goal contributions per 90 minutes and played a role in nearly 40% of the goals scored by Borussia Dortmund II in matches he featured in.
In a pre-season friendly before the 2017/18 campaign, Isak showcased his talent by scoring four goals for Dortmund’s first team in a 5-2 victory over Rot-Weiss.
Given these performances, it is difficult to argue that he did not do enough to earn more opportunities at Dortmund.
Isak was a key player for Dortmund II and made an impact whenever he was given brief chances to feature for the senior team.
For context, this season, he has been directly involved in 51% of Newcastle United’s goals in the Premier League—demonstrating that even during his time at Dortmund, he was not far from achieving similar levels of influence.
Sometimes, all a player needs is the right opportunity, and Mohamed Salah is a prime example of this.
Not being valued at a particular club does not define a player’s quality. Like Salah, Isak has already proved his worth and will likely continue to do so at Liverpool.
In other news, Liverpool Join Transfer Race for Wonderkid Who Gave Andy Robertson Nightmares in Nations League
