Richard Hughes is poised to secure his own Mohamed Salah for Liverpool this summer.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane to the 2013/14 season. Liverpool were on a high under Brendan Rodgers, but they were looking to bolster their attack. The recruitment team identified Mohamed Salah, an Egyptian winger from FC Basel, and Liverpool made an approach to sign him.
However, Chelsea swooped in and secured his signature. Jose Mourinho managed to convince Salah to join the Blues instead, changing the course of history. Had Salah joined Liverpool on that fateful day when Steven Gerrard slipped, things could have turned out very differently.
But fate had other plans, and Salah returned to Anfield three years later, where the rest, as they say, is history.
Now, Liverpool could be on the verge of signing a player with a similar story—a near miss, this time spanning nine years.
Why Liverpool Will Sign Alexander Isak
Recent reports suggest that Liverpool are leading the race to sign Alexander Isak. According to talkSPORT, Liverpool are even willing to offer players in a swap deal with Newcastle. The Times has also reported that Newcastle is interested in Jarell Quansah. With these reports in mind, it seems Richard Hughes is close to sealing a deal for Isak—something Michael Edwards failed to do.
Back in 2016, Isak was already on Liverpool’s radar, according to Sport. The club tracked him as a promising young talent at AIK. Liverpool wanted to strengthen Jurgen Klopp’s squad, but, just like with Salah in 2014, Isak’s move never materialized.
Instead, Isak joined Borussia Dortmund, drawn to their reputation for developing young talent. Under Thomas Tuchel, however, Isak was given limited opportunities—much like Salah was overlooked at Chelsea by Mourinho.
This period led to doubts about Isak’s potential, but statistics from his limited appearances suggest he showed plenty of promise. In just 236 minutes for Dortmund in the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal, he averaged 0.38 goals and 0.38 assists per 90 minutes—essentially 0.72 goal contributions per 90. For a “failed attacker,” that’s an impressive return.
In Dortmund’s second team, Isak averaged 0.63 goal contributions per 90 minutes, contributing to nearly 40% of their goals. Before the 2017/18 season, he scored four goals in a 5-2 pre-season win for Dortmund’s first team, showing his potential when given a chance.
Fast forward to this season, and Isak has contributed to 51% of Newcastle’s Premier League goals—remarkably similar to his output at Dortmund.
Sometimes, all a player needs is the right opportunities. Mohamed Salah is the perfect example of how talent can flourish when given a chance.