Andoni Iraola Teases Liverpool’s New Mohamed Salah Succession Plans

Just over two months on from Mohamed Salah’s name being formally scrubbed from the Liverpool roster, the club is still wrestling with how the Anfield legend can be replaced. New manager Andoni Iraola is keen to try something different.

The Reds didn’t recruit a direct successor during the summer transfer window for the right-wing spot that had belonged to the Egyptian for nine years. Salah was a dual threat wide forward who delivered 380 goal involvements (257 goals, 123 assists) in 442 appearances.

Replacing his impact is close to impossible but it appears Liverpool will task Bradley Barcola, now the second most expensive signing in club history—with attempting it. The Frenchman racked up 22 goals and 22 assists during the 2024–25 season with Paris Saint-Germain.

The only thing is that Barcola, although capable of playing on the right, is a left winger. In the same way that Salah was a left-footed player coming inside from the right, Liverpool’s new No. 29 is a right-footed player who cuts infield from the left. His game doesn’t work on the right.

That was the same problem Rio Ngumoha had on the opening weekend of the season against Newcastle United, pinned to the flank by opposing left back Lewis Hall and ineffective when venturing infield on his weaker left foot.

But to look at Liverpool’s winger options, you would call it unbalanced. Even with Barcola taking over the Salah role as the emphasis switches from right to left, the Reds exited the summer transfer window with four left wingers and no right wingers.

Barcola and Víctor Muñoz were added to Cody Gakpo and Ngumoha. Right winger Maghnes Akliouche was linked early in the summer but wound up joining Paris Saint-Germain instead.

Liverpool Flip Attacking Emphasis, Munoz Replaces Salah

Bradley Barcola is intended to replace Salah’s dual-threat production. | Liverpool FC/Getty Images

However, if Barcola locks down the left flank to provide the Salah-esque inverse, dual threat, Iraola has teased that the answer on the right could be Muñoz as Liverpool consider a more simplified approach. After Ngumoha struggled against Newcastle, Gakpo got the nod against Nottingham Forest last weekend and was only slightly better than his teenage colleague.

“Víctor has played more games on the left in his career but has maybe been even better on the right,” Iraola mused before Liverpool are due to play Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Friday.

The speedy Muñoz is a direct, vertical threat and could see Liverpool revert to more traditional play on the right, where the winger is primarily asked to dribble past defenders in a straight line and cross for the center forward. It requires no cutting infield onto a stronger foot if that player is right footed, which the Spaniard is, and offers something different from the left flank.

Victor Munoz — Víctor Muñoz could fill the specific right-wing void. | Peter Byrne/PA Images/Getty Images

That stripped-back approach ought to benefit Alexander Isak as a penalty-box striker, providing more direct service to the physically imposing Swede.

But, after Gakpo wound up staying a Liverpool player despite transfer interest from Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, the manager still wants Ngumoha to learn the right flank, not prepared to take one bad game as proof that it cannot be done.

“We know Rio can play on the left and showed his qualities. He needs to develop on the right so it gives him more options to play,” the boss explained. “He is so young. [But] because he wasn't incredible in the first game on the right, we can't say he will never play on the right anymore.”

Iraola Counters Depth Concerns in Midfield, Fullback

Andoni Iraola, Kostas Tsimikas — Iraola does not appear concerned by his depth options. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

The Reds welcomed four new faces during the summer for a total spend pushing $270 million (£200 million), with center backs Jérémy Jacquet and Ronald Araújo joining Barcola and Muñoz.

There were no midfield buys and Curtis Jones was sold to Inter with no replacement. Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo are backed up by Trey Nyoni and James McConnell. “In midfield we have good numbers,” Iraola said, putting the onus on him to make the “right calls,” find the “best combinations” and coach the group better.

Left back Andy Robertson also departed without being replaced, which resulted in Kostas Tsimikas being reintegrated a year after he was deemed surplus to requirements and loaned to Roma where he barely started. Milos Kerkez was already struggling from a poor debut season and probably needed stiffer, more robust competition for his place.

At right back, the injury prone Jeremie Frimpong is only currently covered by utility defender Joe Gomez, even more injury prone, with Conor Bradley also still sidelined. It has left Iraola to “value” Szoboszlai as an emergency right back, which obviously has the consequence of taking the influential Hungarian out of his natural midfield role.

Iraola said he is “happy” with the squad Liverpool have.

“In the end, the club has decided those signings we have done are the ones that will improve our team, improve the positions," he explained. “There were other options that we decided not to take for different reasons, sometimes sporting or economical. It didn't make sense in the market for those moves. But I'm happy now. I have a lot of quality in the team.”

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