Salah Exit, Ekitike Injury Force Liverpool Rethink Up Front

Gordon and Bowen on Liverpool radar after Ekitike setback

Hugo Ekitike’s Achilles injury until 2027 forces Liverpool to accelerate summer plans. Gordon and Bowen among Premier League targets as Salah exit also looms.

Liverpool target Premier League stars amid attacker crisis...

The news arrives as the club also prepare for Mohamed Salah’s departure at the end of the campaign.

The situation is complicated further by wider uncertainty at Liverpool - there is no guarantee of Champions League football next season, and no full assurance Arne Slot will remain in charge.

Ekitike’s injury, combined with Salah’s potential exit, would leave Liverpool without reliability and cutting edge in the final third - at least while Ekitike recovers.

Early indications suggest he will be sidelined until 2027.

A new signing was already part of the club’s summer plans, but reinforcing the front line now looks certain.

The situation creates two possible approaches to the market. One is to chase a direct replacement for Salah, as originally intended, while the other is to target a more versatile forward who can play across the front line.

Juventus attacker Francisco Conceicao has been looked at as one option from outside the Premier League, while RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande is also being tracked closely.

But given Liverpool cannot afford mistakes in the market, there is a strong chance they prioritize proven Premier League talent.

Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon is one player being considered, having been on the club’s radar before. With interest growing elsewhere - including from Arsenal and Bayern Munich - Liverpool may be pushed to move.

🚨⛔️ BREAKING: Hugo Ekitike will be OUT of the 2026 World Cup, confirmed. 💔🇫🇷

Season over for Liverpool striker; sources close to the player expect Hugo to be back in 8-9 months time with Achilles tendon injury, as L’Equipé reported. pic.twitter.com/UPqlDR72hg

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 15, 2026

Jarrod Bowen could also come into contention. He is long admired at the Merseyside club, but has previously looked out of reach - and remains heavily tied to West Ham United.

However, Liverpool have the stature to test that resolve and may look into what it would take to make a deal possible.

Sources indicate Liverpool’s recruitment staff are now working to move plans forward quickly, aiming to finalize preferred options internally by May so they are ready to enter the market when it opens.