Liverpool ‘increasingly likely’ to bid for 23-year-old as Arne Slot follows Mohamed Salah blueprint

Liverpool are increasingly likely to make an official bid for Bologna attacker Dan Ndoye, according to a report.

The Switzerland international has already squared up to Arne Slot‘s side this season, playing 79 minutes of their 2-0 loss to the Reds in the Champions League earlier this month.

Ndoye made the move to Bologna from Basel last year and was a regular in their exceptional 2023-24 season under Thiago Motta, making 34 appearances as the Rossoblu earned a shock UCL qualification.

The winger’s numbers were nothing to write home about last season – just two goals and two assists in his 34 games – while he has set up just one strike in eight appearances throughout the current season.

However, the former Nice attacker caught the eye for Switzerland at Euro 2024, starting all five of their games en route to the quarter-finals and finding the back of the net in a 1-1 draw with Germany.

Liverpool to target Ndoye as Salah replacement?

© Imago

A versatile player, Ndoye is comfortable on both wings and even through the middle, but his preferred position is the right flank, where Liverpool will be searching for reinforcements if Mohamed Salah leaves in 2025.

According to InterLive, Liverpool are ‘increasingly likely’ to make an approach for the 23-year-old’s services in 2025, but the Reds are not alone in their pursuit of the Switzerland international.

Inter Milan are apparently ‘dreaming’ of signing Ndoye as a possible replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who is being courted by Real Madrid, but the Nerazzurri are hopeful of tying the Dutchman down to an extension.

Dumfries staying at San Siro would leave the door open for Liverpool to pursue Ndoye, but Bologna should not let him go on the cheap, as he is under contract until 2027 with the option of a further 12 months.

The Rossoblu would also be in a position to demand a healthy increase on the €9m (£7.5m) fee they paid Basel for Ndoye’s services in 2023, although Liverpool should not be priced out of a deal.

What other Salah replacements are Liverpool targeting?

© Imago

Liverpool capturing Ndoye would see them follow the Salah blueprint – picking up a right-sided attacker from Serie A for a reasonable fee – but the Egyptian’s boots would likely be too big for him to fill.

Reds fans could be forgiven for not jumping for joy at the prospect of signing Ndoye; the 23-year-old only has five direct goal contributions in 42 games for Bologna and would be an underwhelming replacement for the great Salah.

The Switzerland international may be better suited to a wing-back role at Inter, and Liverpool are not said to be short of possible options to replace Salah, who is yet to commit to a new deal beyond the summer of 2025.

Borussia Dortmund pair Karim Adeyemi and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens are thought to be on the Reds’ radar, and PSV Eindhoven’s Johan Bakayoko – whom Slot knows well from his time in the Eredivisie – has long been linked with a Premier League move too.

AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic has supposedly emerged as a target for Liverpool too, having reignited his career in Italy following an underwhelming spell at Chelsea.

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