Liverpool are considering a move to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix if Mohamed Salah leaves this summer.
Salah has been the subject of renewed interest from Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad this week. With a monster contract offer supposedly on the table, Liverpool fans are sweating that they’re Egyptian King may leave.
And according to Football Transfers, the Reds are drawing up plans just in case Salah does jump ship. They claim that Felix is being ‘lined up’ should the 31-year-old push to leave over the next week.
However, it reportedly remains Liverpool’s intention to keep Salah at Anfield. With a £100m offer from Al Ittihad said to be imminent though, they’re resolve to do so is set to be tested.
In terms of Felix’s future, he’s reportedly made it clear that he wants to change clubs this summer. Barcelona are claimed to be his preference, but there is interest from Saudi club Al Ahli as well.
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Liverpool considering Felix move
On paper, there isn’t really a single similarity between the playing styles of Salah and Felix.
One is a prolific inverted winger who has pace to burn and a wicked left foot, the other is a diminutive false nine who is very much right-footed.
That isn’t to say that Felix isn’t a good player. The 23-year-old is a player that Jurgen Klopp obviously likes, too. The Liverpool manager called the forward ‘outstanding’ before his team faced Atletico in the Champions League in 2020 [Liverpool ECHO].
Nevertheless, he just doesn’t look anything like the kind of player the Reds would need to bring in to replace Salah.
Regardless of playing style, just look at output alone. Since Felix joined Atletico for an initial £113m in 2019, he’s scored 38 times; 34 for Atleti, and a further four while on-loan at Chelsea last season. In those four seasons, he’s laid on a further 15 assists.
Now, let’s look at Salah’s stats in the same four seasons, excluding the current one. Since 2019/20, Mo has bagged 115 goals. That’s a staggering 77 more than Felix. He’s also set up 49 goals for his teammates. 34 more than his Portuguese peer.
So, while Felix is a very good player who will no doubt excel in a more fluid side than Atletico, he can’t hold a candle to our Mo. No, thank you.