Arne Slot CONFIRMS Mo Salah influenced crucial Liverpool transfer

Mo Salah influenced a crucial transfer for Liverpool this summer, according to Arne Slot. It was undoubtedly the right decision.

Liverpool had an incredible task on this summer as Trent Alexander-Arnold decided to leave the club. The Scouser, long thought to have been set for a career at Anfield, picked Real Madrid.

Of course, he didn't quite leave on free transfer. Liverpool sold him to Real Madrid for around £10m with one month left on his contract - an incredible deal for the Reds as Alexander-Arnold was never going to get another chance to play for them.

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Real Madrid's eagerness to have him for their FIFA Club World Cup campaign forced the deal. We maintain it was an incredible one, honestly.

But that's not to say it was a nice one. Liverpool would have preferred to keep Alexander-Arnold as he was comfortably one of the most creative players in the squad - if not the most creative.

Doing that from right-back is incredible and why Alexander-Arnold was so valuable. No player in history has matched his playmaking influence from right-back, making replacing him almost impossible.

The Reds decided to do it in different ways. Florian Wirtz arrived as the new brains in attack and he'll undoubtedly be the main playmaker.

Jeremie Frimpong is the new right-back - a totally different style of player to Alexander-Arnold. He's full of energy, pace, and constantly wants to hit the byline.

So why the change? Mo Salah's influence, apparently.

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Arne Slot on Mo Salah

Arne Slot gave a press conference ahead of Sunday's Community Shield clash against Crystal Palace. He was asked there about the need for new players, with one particular case popping up.

Salah is undoubtedly the best right-winger in the squad. In fact, he's probably the only one if Federico Chiesa departs as expected.

That's a problem given he'll disappear to AFCON midway through the season. Slot, though, says Liverpool prepared for this - and it's why Frimpong was a must-buy.

“We definitely thought about AFCON," said Slot. "It's partly why we brought in Frimpong because he can play as a right-winger.

"A maximum six games without Mo, but that's a lot in the Premier League. Jeremie can play there but he isn't the only option.”

It's a role we certainly felt from the get-go that Frimpong suits. He wouldn't be anyone's pick as the first-choice winger but to replace Salah for a few games in January?

That's something that makes sense and Liverpool have been smart to build the squad this way. There's now versatility all over it and we can't wait to see how Slot tinkers with positions and systems.

AFCON will bring about a brilliant demonstration of just that.

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