Liverpool cannot afford to lose two players this summer, according to Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson. The former midfielder also believes that Mohamed Salah will be heading to Saudi Arabia.

"I think Mohamed Salah goes to Saudi this summer and Arne Slot will have a huge task on his hands to replace the Egyptian’s goals, if he does end up leaving," Merson wrote in his Sportskeeda column. There is no suggestion that either Salah nor Liverpool want that to happen, however.

In fact, since Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and others made the move to the Middle East last season, the appeal of taking the cash and going there has dwindled. The standard is simply not something that Salah should be eyeing up at this point in his career.

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Arne Slot will be taking over from Jürgen Klopp and Merson says that he cannot afford for there to be too much change in one summer (which, incidentally, is another reason to think that Salah won't be leaving).

"A lot of coaches and backroom staff from the Jürgen Klopp era will also be on their way out, so the Dutchman has his work cut out for him," Merson continued. "They have to keep Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, though, as these two players form the spine of their backline."

There is no suggestion, either, that Van Dijk or Alisson could leave. Van Dijk, like Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, is out of contract in the summer of 2025, but there are no plans to let any of the trio depart. Alisson, meanwhile, is the best goalkeeper in the world and there is no chance that Liverpool would think about losing him.

Liverpool.com says: Salah will not be leaving unless a completely ridiculous offer comes in. The feeling is that he doesn't want to go to Saudi Arabia, and where else is there? Kylian Mbappé is almost certainly going to sign for Real Madrid, so Carlo Ancelotti doesn't need (and presumably can't afford) him. A move to Barcelona is likely to be impossible because of the finances and a PSG switch would mean swapping the Premier Legaue for Ligue 1. Staying with Liverpool is the only sensible decision to make.