Liverpool can muscle Prem rivals off £50m winger, with nine G/A star a fitting Slot signing

Liverpool reportedly want to sign PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko, and are in a better financial position to rivals Newcastle United, who also want him.

The Reds are being linked with a number of attackers given the future of Mohamed Salah remains unknown. The Liverpool superstar is out of contract at the end of the season, and publicly claimed he did not have an offer on the table of late.

If they are to lose him, Liverpool will want to ensure his replacement can have something near the impact he has had.

According to Caught Offside, the Reds have entered the picture for PSV winger Bakayoko.

He is a target for Newcastle, but the report states the Anfield outfit are believed to be in a better financial position than they are.

That could apparently be crucial, given the €60million (£49.9m/$63m) PSV want for him.

It’s also believed the fact Arne Slot’s style and system will be well known to Bakayoko given he played against him in the Netherlands when the Liverpool boss was in charge at Feyenoord could help the Reds’ case.

Bakayoko similar to Salah but with big gap

Both Bakayoko and Salah are primarily right-wingers, who are left-footed, and can use that to their advantage, cutting in onto their strong foot and scoring goals.

According to fbref, compared to other wingers in top-five European leagues, Salah ranks in the 99th percentile for total shots and touches in the attacking penalty area, and the in the 93rd percentile for progressive passes received.

Bakayoko’s stats are compared to other wingers in the next 14 leagues in Europe – given he plays in the Eredivisie and not a top-five league at present.

He ranks in the 95th percentile for total shots, the 97th for touches in the attacking penalty area and in the 99th for progressive passes received.

That shows both players have played very high up in the past year, have had very direct involvements in front of goal, and want to be the focal point for their sides.

Bakayoko seems a Salah-like player at the moment, but is playing in a weaker league, and his returns – nine direct goal contributions this season – are not yet on par with the Liverpool man, who has scored and assisted 29 goals this season.

Liverpool round-up: Salah pressuring Reds

Though he could leave in the summer, a former team-mate of Salah’s feels his outstanding form is “putting pressure on” Liverpool to renew his deal.

Fellow Reds superstar Trent Alexander-Arnold is also out of contract in the summer, and Barcelona want to land him, with Hansi Flick instructing the board to land the right-back ‘as soon as possible’.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are said to be preparing a bid to land Brighton striker Joao Pedro.

And the Anfield outfit are under threat from Real Madrid for yet another one of their stars, as Dominik Szoboszlai has become the fourth Reds player to find his way onto their radar in recent weeks, after Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Ryan Gravenberch.

Quiz – Salah at Liverpool