Klopp to hold talks with Salah over Liverpool role as Reds boss lines up ‘unstoppable’ £44m replacement

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp hasn’t ruled out switching his primary penalty taker away from Mo Salah after his latest miss from the spot, according to reports.

The Egyptian and the Reds have not been on the same level as in previous seasons with Salah scoring 13 Premier League goals in 29 matches this term.

Salah has been the main penalty taker for Liverpool over the past few seasons under Jurgen Klopp with the former Roma man only missing two penalties before this season.

But his penalty miss last month in the Reds’ 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth was followed up with another spot-kick miss last weekend as Liverpool drew 2-2 against Arsenal.

Salah failed to hit the target on either occasion and now The Times insists that Klopp will hold talks with the Egyptian over his role as penalty taker.

A report in The Times claims: ‘Klopp will speak to Salah about whether the Egyptian remains their penalty taker after he missed his second consecutive penalty last Sunday in the draw against Arsenal.’

Salah signed a new three-year contract worth around £350,000 per week in the summer with Klopp relying on him in the short term.

But Spanish publication El Mundo claims that Klopp sees Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams ‘as a medium-term replacement for Salah at Liverpool’ as he plans for the future.

Klopp could have to fight Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui and Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery for Williams with the 20-year-old contributing five goals and four assists in 28 La Liga appearances this season.

Williams currently has a release clause of €50m (£44m) and El Mundo adds that ‘there is already a queue to pay it’ and Aston Villa try again over the summer after having an offer turned down in January.

On his future, Williams recently said: “I am 20 years old, and I still have no idea what I want to do. I have people who advise me very well and I believe that everything is going to be on the right track.”

His brother, Inaki, who also plays for Bilbao has previously bigged up his brother’s abilities and claims that his sibling is “practically unstoppable” when it comes to one-on-ones.

Inaki said: “Physically I’m a tad superior and even though I’m eight years older than him, in the 100 meters I still give him cramps. In one-on-one, on the other hand, he’s practically unstoppable.”