Liverpool have confirmed Salah is leaving at the end of the season. Now comes the harder question: who fills the void?
Reports from SportsBoom suggest the answer could come from the same place Salah is heading. Marcos Leonardo, the 22-year-old Brazilian striker currently at Al-Hilal, is reportedly on Liverpool's radar — with Salah potentially moving in the other direction as part of the deal. It's not a confirmed swap in the formal sense, but the logic writes itself.
Why Leonardo makes sense for Liverpool
The appeal isn't just symbolic, though Liverpool's history with Brazilian forwards — from Firmino to the broader cultural connection — clearly factors in. Leonardo can play as a central striker or as a false nine, which fits exactly the kind of fluid, interchangeable attack Slot has been building at Anfield. Hugo Ekitike has shown promise this season. Alexander Isak, when fit, offers a different dimension. A third option who can rotate across those roles without disrupting the system has genuine value.
The report specifically notes that Liverpool's pitch to Leonardo would centre on Champions League football and a realistic shot at trophies. That's a compelling offer for a player his age — far more than Saudi Pro League can offer in terms of football development, whatever the financial package looks like.
Napoli are also sniffing around, described as a "serious competitor" for Leonardo's signature. That's not a side you dismiss easily, especially for a Brazilian player who might prefer Serie A to the English winter. Liverpool's transfer odds on landing this one aren't a certainty.
Salah's next chapter still open
As for Salah himself, his agent Ramy Abbas Issa has been unusually direct: "We do not know where Mohamed will play next season. This also means that no one else knows." Al-Hilal, MLS, a surprise European move — everything is technically still on the table, even if the Saudi option has the loudest noise around it.
San Diego FC owner Mohamed Mansour admitted publicly that any club in the world would want Salah, which is both obvious and worth saying out loud given the player's sustained level at 32. That's not retirement-tour territory — that's still a player who changes games.
Liverpool are right to plan around his departure rather than scramble after it. Whether Leonardo ends up being the answer is another matter entirely — but at least the Reds appear to have a plan.
