Journalist: Liverpool Told to Pay £100m to Sign Mo Salah Replacement in 2026 | OneFootball

Liverpool Eye Michael Olise as Future Successor to Mohamed Salah

Liverpool are already looking beyond their record-breaking summer spending as manager Arne Slot and the club’s hierarchy prepare the next stage of their squad evolution. Central to those plans is Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, viewed by many within Anfield as the natural long-term heir to Mohamed Salah.

Strategic vision for Salah’s eventual successor

Liverpool invested around £440 million on new talent during the recent transfer window, a statement of intent designed to strengthen their title defence. Four wins from four league matches, including a late victory at Burnley, suggest the champions are well placed to challenge again under Slot.

Yet the club’s decision-makers are already plotting the future. Salah and Virgil van Dijk signed extensions this summer that keep them at Anfield until 2027, but both are in their thirties. Liverpool know the need to plan ahead, particularly for Salah, whose influence on the right wing has defined an era.

Reports have identified Olise as the priority option to take on Salah’s role when the time comes. The French international has blossomed since leaving Crystal Palace for Bayern in 2024, and his performances have made him one of Europe’s most coveted attackers.

Price tag for Olise already escalating

Transfer journalist Pete O’Rourke has confirmed Liverpool’s interest, while warning that prising Olise from Munich would be far from straightforward.

“It’s more than just Liverpool who will be looking at Michael Olise – his career is just going up and up,” O’Rourke told the Inside Track podcast. “All top European clubs will be interested in Michael Olise; he’s not going to be easy to get out of Bayern, though.

“He’s under contract at the German club until 2029, and Bayern Munich won’t want to lose him. You’re talking huge money to get him out of there. You’d be looking at £100m for Bayern [to sell him].”

German outlet Absolut Fussball have suggested the eventual figure could be even higher, with talk of £129m or more. “Offers in the amount of 150 or 160 million euros from clubs of the quality class Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City or Liverpool FC would then not be a big surprise,” they wrote.

Why Olise fits Liverpool’s long-term plan

Olise’s numbers speak for themselves. In his first season at Bayern he recorded 23 goals and 20 assists across competitions, immediately proving he can deliver at the highest level. He has started the current campaign in similar fashion, contributing five goals in as many matches.

The profile is precisely what Liverpool need. Salah has set extraordinary standards since his arrival in 2017, but planning succession is a hallmark of well-run clubs. Slot, alongside sporting director Richard Hughes and CEO of football Michael Edwards, appear determined to make sure the transition is as seamless as possible.

Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele has echoed that sentiment: “As for Michael Olise, I certainly cannot rule that one out. They want a long-term Mohamed Salah replacement in the next summer or two and the early noises are that Bayern Munich’s former Crystal Palace star Olise could be right at the top of their shopping list.”

What comes next for Liverpool

For now, Liverpool’s focus remains on maintaining their perfect start to the Premier League campaign, but the conversation around Salah’s eventual successor will not go away. Olise’s rapid rise in Germany ensures he will remain at the centre of speculation.

Liverpool have shown they are willing to spend heavily to secure the right talent. If Olise continues his trajectory, the Merseyside club could well be forced to break their transfer record again to secure the man they believe can define the post-Salah era.