Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz will be expected to lead Liverpool’s attack after Mohamed Salah leaves for Trabzonspor. The Reds will start the 2026‑27 Premier League campaign without any of the trio that scored 488 goals between 2015 and 2026.
Salah’s record of 10 goals on the opening matchday remains unmatched, but his departure to Trabzonspor means Liverpool will open the season without Salah, Sadio Mane or Roberto Firmino. Between 2015 and 2026 the trio netted 257, 120 and 111 goals respectively for the club. With Salah gone, Cody Gakpo is the club’s top scorer, having scored 50 Reds goals.
Liverpool signed Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike for a combined £320 million last summer. Ekitike, 24, suffered an Achilles rupture in April and is expected to return for the second half of the season. Isak, 26, and Wirtz, 23, will be tasked with carrying the team forward after disappointing debut campaigns.
Captain Virgil van Dijk said the squad must be able to compete on all four fronts. “We need a squad that is able to compete on all four fronts, that’s the only way to try to be successful,” he said.
Liverpool’s search for a replacement has seen them miss out on 19‑year‑old Yan Diomande, who joined Real Madrid from RB Leipzig for up to £120 million. The club is now eyeing Paris‑Saint‑Germain winger Bradley Barcola, 23, who is reportedly open to a move. PSG initially sought around £145 million, while Liverpool wants closer to £100 million. A deal would give Liverpool a left‑winger who can play on both sides, a priority after the departure of Salah.
The club also explored a move for Rio Ngumoha, who became Liverpool’s youngest goalscorer at 18. Ngumoha turned 18 next week and can sign a five‑year contract. He has been trialled on the right flank, where Salah played, and could provide a direct, pacey option. Liverpool also rejected a £60 million bid for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and is exploring a move for PSG’s Ibrahim Mbaye.
On Sunday, Gakpo is expected to start on the left while Ngumoha will play on the right. Victor Munoz, signed from Osasuna, can provide a spark off the bench and may be used as a number nine. Wirtz will operate behind the striker and has shown he can meet Premier League demands, having scored seven goals and provided ten assists last season.
Isak, who scored 62 goals in 109 games for Newcastle, only netted four times in his injury‑hit debut season at Anfield. However, the link‑up with Wirtz has improved in pre‑season. “Isak has everything in his locker,” said manager Andoni Iraola. “If we can keep him there he will score goals and give us a lot of things.” Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler echoed the sentiment, calling Isak a “handful” for opposition defenders.
With Salah’s early exit, the focus shifts to Isak and Wirtz stepping up. The Reds will rely on their new signings to fill the void left by the departed trio as they begin the season under new manager Andoni Iraola.
