Liverpool Lead Race for Arda Guler as Salah Future Dominates Debate

Liverpool’s season has drifted into uncomfortable territory, a campaign that promised authority now defined by uncertainty. Arne Slot arrived with ideas and conviction, yet results and performances have not matched the expectations that followed last season’s momentum. Anfield Watch have reported on growing unease around Mohamed Salah’s future and the increasing noise linking Liverpool with Real Madrid youngster Arda Guler. It reads like a club standing at a crossroads, unsure whether renewal must be accelerated or merely prepared.

Standards slipping under Slot scrutiny

Liverpool were widely tipped as early pace setters, but inconsistency has dulled that edge. The forwards, usually the club’s heartbeat, have faltered. Mohamed Salah’s form has dipped and his frustration has spilled into public view after being benched, creating what can only be described as a destabilising subplot. One source describes how this reaction has fuelled speculation that Salah’s time on Merseyside could end as early as January.

The Egyptian remains an elite performer, even if recent weeks suggest fatigue or tactical discomfort. His quality, vision, and instinct still define Liverpool’s attacking identity. Yet football moves quickly. Clubs that stand still often fall behind, and the sense grows that contingency planning has already begun.

Arda Guler and a shifting transfer picture

That preparation centres on Arda Guler. According to reports, Liverpool are now leading the race to sign the Turkiye international, despite interest from Arsenal and Manchester United. The appeal is clear. Guler is described as a ‘perfect fit’ due to his adaptability within an ever evolving system. Slot is reportedly a ‘fan’ of the 20 year old, while Liverpool’s scouting department are said to be ‘impressed’ by his talent.

Guler’s technical control and spatial awareness speak to a player comfortable between lines, a modern attacker who could thrive in fluid structures. He would not replicate Salah directly, few could, but he represents a different solution to a similar problem, creativity where it has recently gone missing.

Creative burden and costly questions

Liverpool’s summer spending raised expectations further. Over £200 million invested in Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak was meant to transform attacking output. Instead, Dominik Szoboszlai has emerged as the most consistent contributor, a reminder that solutions do not always come with the largest price tag.

The lack of goals and invention has defined Liverpool’s struggles. Guler, with his close control and progressive passing, could address both. Whether his arrival depends entirely on Salah’s future remains unclear, but the logic behind the interest is hard to ignore.

Credit must go to Anfield Watch for highlighting a narrative that feels increasingly unavoidable. Liverpool are planning for change, not out of desire, but necessity.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

This report lands like a jolt to the system for Liverpool supporters. There is excitement in being linked with a talent like Guler, but also deep concern about what it represents. Seeing Salah’s future openly questioned feels unsettling. He has carried this club through defining moments, and the idea of January rumours turning into reality is genuinely shocking.

There is scepticism too. Spending heavily on Wirtz and Isak only to still search for creativity feels like an admission that the rebuild has misfired. Fans expected Slot’s methods to elevate the squad, not expose gaps so quickly.

At the same time, Guler sparks anticipation. Supporters crave invention, someone who can unlock stubborn defences and lift the tempo. The thought of a fearless 20 year old stepping into a side searching for identity is exciting, but also risky. Liverpool are not a development club, they are a pressure cooker.

Most of all, this feels like a moment of truth. Either Salah recommits and the squad recalibrates around him, or Liverpool turn the page faster than anyone expected. Right now, belief is mixed with anxiety, hope edged with disappointment.