Mohamed Salah could be “itching to change things up”, says former Liverpool star Jason McAteer, while Sadio Mane may be “tempted” by a move to Real Madrid at some stage.
The Reds will be reluctant to part with any prized assets in upcoming transfer windows.
Success being enjoyed under Jurgen Klopp should help to keep heads from being turned, but transfer talk is never far away from world-class talent.
McAteer believes those rumours will continue to rumble on when it comes to superstar forwards on Merseyside.
He feels that Mane will agree to stay put for the foreseeable future, despite interest from Spain, but Salah may decide to take on a new challenge if given the opportunity in upcoming campaigns.
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“I can absolutely understand why Real Madrid would consider making a move for Sadio Mane in the summer – and I could understand if Mane was tempted,” McAteer told the Racing Post.
“Real Madrid aren’t quite the force of old but they are still a glamour club and would turn heads.
“It’s partly a cultural thing, partly a football thing, partly just being a new challenge for a player who, if Liverpool win the league this season, will have achieved all the big goals.
Getty Images“So it’s whether Mane wants a new challenge, while the challenge facing Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp is ensuring the players are hungry to go again just as they were this season after being crowned European champions.
“Pep Guardiola has had to try to re-energise his team after two title wins and he’s found it tough but it’s something that Jurgen is brilliant at.
“What I would say is that if Mane went I’d worry that it might be the start of things breaking apart because he’s absolutely at the top of his game at the minute and would take some replacing. He’d be harder to replace than Mo Salah in my eyes.
“But we know the really big teams are out there trying to get better and under pressure to entice the best players on daft money.
“I actually think Sadio Mane is quite happy to stay at Liverpool although I can see Mo Salah itching to change things up, if not next summer then next season.”
Mane has been with Liverpool since the summer of 2016, netting 74 goals in 152 appearances, while Salah arrived at Anfield 12 months later and has found the target 85 times in 132 outings.