Steven Gerrard Backs Michael Olise as Ideal Salah Successor for Liverpool
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has identified Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise as the ideal candidate to replace Mohamed Salah at Anfield. The former Reds captain, speaking to TNT Sports, described the French international as a perfect fit, though he expressed doubt that the 23-year-old would be available for a transfer from the German champions.
Gerrard, when asked if he would take Olise at Liverpool, responded, "All day long. But the problem is, why would he leave Bayern Munich?" He elaborated that Olise appears settled and successful at a club competing for major honours, making a move seem unlikely. Olise, who joined Bayern from Crystal Palace last summer, has been in sensational form, contributing an extraordinary 45 goal involvements (16 goals, 29 assists) in 41 games across all competitions this season.
The search for a successor to Mohamed Salah, whose departure at the end of the season was confirmed last month, is a critical task for Liverpool. Gerrard acknowledged the difficulty of the task, stating that a direct, "like-for-like" replacement for the Egyptian icon is nearly impossible to find. He suggested Liverpool's recruitment team may look for a different profile of player to fill the void. "They'll have different options, not necessarily a like-for-like," Gerrard told talkSPORT. He stressed, however, that any new signing must contribute significantly to the goal and assist tallies that Salah reliably provided.
While Olise is a prominent name, the club is exploring multiple avenues. TEAMtalk reports that Liverpool hold an interest in Atalanta's young, versatile full-back Marco Palestra. The 21-year-old Italian, currently on loan at Cagliari, is valued at a minimum of €45 million by his parent club, with several Premier League and Serie A clubs monitoring his situation.
Manager Arne Slot is under pressure to turn results around after a difficult domestic campaign, and squad reinforcement is seen as key. Former England defender Phil Jagielka, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, suggested that Slot could argue his case for more time if the club backs him with significant signings. "If Arne Slot walked in there and said, 'give me a centre-half or two, give me a strike force that is fit, you will see a different team'," Jagielka said, highlighting the need for a new centre-back and forward options.
With Salah's era ending, the focus at Anfield is firmly on a major offensive rebuild, with Michael Olise's name now firmly in the frame, at least in the view of one of the club's greatest ever players. The coming months will reveal whether Liverpool's recruitment team shares Gerrard's high opinion of the Bayern Munich star.
