Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen believes that if Mohamed Salah leaves Anfield this summer, the club should prioritise signing Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak as his replacement.
Salah’s contract situation remains unresolved, with the Egyptian winger entering the final months of his deal.
Meanwhile, Isak has become one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe following a stellar campaign at Newcastle, where he played a pivotal role in their first trophy win in 56 years.
With speculation growing over Salah’s future – and potential exits for Darwin Núñez – Owen believes Liverpool must act decisively in the transfer market to maintain their attacking firepower.
Owen: Liverpool must move for Isak
Speaking about the potential changes in Liverpool’s frontline, Owen outlined why Isak would be a dream signing for the Reds.
“If Salah was to go, Liverpool would look to replace him or find another attacking player, probably because I think Darwin Núñez will go as well,” he said.
“That’s two attacking players, and they would definitely need to replace that with one or two.”
While admitting that no player can directly replicate Salah’s goalscoring numbers, Owen suggested that Isak could be the closest thing to an ideal successor.
“There’s been a few rumours lately about different players – Alexander Isak, obviously, at Newcastle, who scored against them the other day. That would be an incredible move if Liverpool could get him.
“I’m sure virtually every team wants him, and I’m sure Newcastle are desperate to keep hold of him, so that would be an interesting one.”
Liverpool face stiff competition for Isak
Newcastle are reportedly unwilling to sell Isak unless they receive an offer well north of £100 million, a fee that Liverpool have never previously paid for a player.
With interest from other top European clubs, securing the Swedish forward’s signature would be a major challenge.
Still, with Liverpool potentially undergoing a major attacking reshuffle, Owen believes Isak – alongside Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo – could be part of a new-look frontline.
“I like Antoine Semenyo at Bournemouth, who plays in the same position as Salah. He’s a younger version, but definitely got energy, scoring capabilities, and is a good player,” Owen added.
While Liverpool’s priority remains keeping Salah, the club is expected to explore alternatives should the Egyptian choose to move on.
If Salah and Núñez both depart, Owen’s suggestion of an Isak-led attack could be an intriguing prospect – though prying him away from Newcastle will be far from straightforward.
