Liverpool’s quest to find a Mo Salah successor has taken them back to Serie A, where they found the Egyptian almost a decade ago.
The player they are looking at is Juventus star Francisco Conceicao, a rapid, tricky Portuguese winger with all the talent in the world, who has proven as much on the international stage.
He might be a bit raw, but the 23-year-old has been catching the eye of Europe’s biggest clubs, Liverpool included.
That’s according to Fabrice Hawkins, who listed Conceicao as a player the Reds are monitoring for the summer. One of four options he thinks are high on the list to bring in when Salah leaves Liverpool.
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A seven-man shortlist has already been reported:
- Desire Doue
- Bradley Barcola
- Nico Williams
- Yan Diomande
- Anthony Gordon
- Jarrod Bowen
- Michael Olise
Francisco Conceicao joins list of Liverpool targets
Juventus made Conceicao’s loan from FC Porto permanent last summer. He is far from the finished article, but his blistering pace and elite level of dribbling make him an intriguing option.
He completes 2.61 dribbles per 90 minutes in Serie A at a success rate of 55.8%, putting him in the top 10% of wingers in the division in that area. He’s also the kind of relentless presser Liverpool fans love.
Hawkins posted an update to X about the Salah replacement effort, mentioning the usual suspects alongside Conceicao.
He writes: “Liverpool is preparing for Mohamed Salah’s succession. The club is targeting two wingers for next season. Michael Olise is at the top of ALL short-lists of major European clubs, but Bayern Munich doesn’t want to see him leave.
“Several youngsters like Yann Diomandé or Francisco Conceição are being monitored.
“Last year, the Reds had shown interest in the Parisian Bradley Barcola, who is currently in negotiations with PSG to extend his contract, which runs until 2028. Discussions being closely followed by the big clubs, on the lookout in case of an unfavourable outcome.”
We know Olise to Liverpool is unlikely, and we know about interest in Barcola and Diomande. Conceicao, though, is a new name from a reliable journalist. There’s just one problem.
Francisco Conceicao is nothing like Mo Salah
Liverpool are going to go through a rejig of attacking principles when the Egyptian leaves. He has been central to their forward play since arriving from Roma nine years ago.
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What sets Salah apart is his frankly ridiculous ability to put the ball in the back of the net and tee up his teammates. Conceicao could certainly develop that facet of his game but right now, his end product is nowhere near the level needed.
He has three goals and three assists in Serie A and one goal in the Champions League. That’s in over 30 appearances. It’s also the exact tally he managed last season in the league.
Liverpool need a world-class winger if they truly want to fill the void Salah leaves. Maybe they won’t, and will instead build around Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz.
In that case, Conceicao would be a solid pickup. If, however, the idea is to get someone who could become a Salah-esque attacker, then forget about it. Go for teammate Kenan Yildiz instead.
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