Liverpool take ‘giant step’ towards deal for Salah replacement as record-breaking £174m ‘offer’ is ready | OneFootball

Liverpool are lining up a record-breaking summer move for France international Michael Olise from Bayern Munich, according to reports.

The Reds are likely to replace Mohamed Salah in the summer transfer window with the Egypt international failing to show consistent good form this season.

After the Reds’ 3-3 draw against Leeds United in December, Salah hit out at the Liverpool for being made a scapegoat for poor performances and claimed he no longer had a relationship with Arne Slot.

The board and Slot made the joint decision to omit Salah from their next squad to face Inter Milan before peace talks saw the Egypt international back in the squad for their 2-0 win over Brighton nine days later.

Salah was serenaded by the Kop after the match but it still feels like his time as a Liverpool player is coming to an end with rumours of his imminent departure over the summer transfer window.

A report in December claimed that Salah and Slot have ‘agreed to put their differences aside until the season’s end’ with the 33-year-old staying until the end of the season, when he’s ‘expected’ to move to Saudi Arabia.

There have been recent reports claiming that Salah ‘will leave’ Liverpool with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad looking to get a deal over the line.

And Liverpool clearly have Olise in mind as a potential replacement with journalist David Lynch, who has been covering Liverpool for years, revealing in late February that the Bayern Munich winger is on their list of targets.

Lynch told Anfield Index: “I see Olise getting mentioned in the comments as well, and I think I’d keep an eye on that.

“That’s an interesting one. Particularly Bayern being interested in Gakpo, you know, potentially maybe something in that, but he will want to come back to the Premier League at some point, and he’s a very, very good player who Liverpool have watched for a long, long time, even pre-Palace.

“So, that’ll be an interesting one if he’s on the market.”

Fabrizio Romano also confirmed Liverpool’s interest, he said earlier this month: “Yeah, always many links about this one because, yes, it’s true that Liverpool appreciates Olise, but who doesn’t like Olise? I mean, he’s one of the best players in the world.

“He’s doing fantastic at Bayern, so obviously many links with Liverpool because Liverpool will add players on the winger position.

“So Liverpool will do something there. Could be one, could be two, we will see. But at the moment, Michael Olise is seen as an unrealistic target because he doesn’t have a release clause, and also because Bayern absolutely want to keep Olise.”

And now reports in Spain claim that Liverpool have taken ‘a giant step towards signing’ Olise in the summer with the Reds ‘determined to complete the ambitious signing’.

Liverpool are ‘preparing a historic move’ for Olise with the France international ‘the ideal heir’ to Salah and Fenway Sports Group ‘are prepared to break the bank to secure his signing.’

The ‘an offer close to €200m (£174m)’ is what it will take to lure Olise away from the Bavarians and Liverpool have ‘made progress on one of the key aspects: convincing the player’s representatives’.

For his part, Olise ‘would welcome the change of scenery and the possibility of assuming a leading role in the Premier League’ but Bayern Munich ‘won’t make it easy’ for Liverpool.

Former Borussia Moenchengladbach and Germany star Christoph Kramer recently hailed Olise as “unbelievable” and claims the Bayern winger “does everything right”.

Kramer said: “I know, we always talk about large sums. But still: price-performance, what this player gives a team – that is unbelievable.

“He does everything right. He knows when where the ball belongs. Even if he is pressed high, with his back to the goal, which wingers usually can never do that well, he dissolves everything.”