Liverpool's transfer plan after new Mohamed Salah contract revealed | OneFootball

Liverpool will focus their efforts on signing a new striker this summer in the wake of Mohamed Salah's new contract, a report has revealed.

The Reds tied their attacking talisman down to a new two-year contract on Friday, securing the future of a player who has 32 goals and 22 assists in just 45 games across all competitions this season.

Centre-back Virgil van Dijk is expected to sign a new deal of his own in the near future, meaning Liverpool no longer need to pursue blockbuster replacements in two of the most important areas on the pitch.

According to BBC Sport, the focus of this summer's transfer window will be on signing a new striker to compliment Salah in Liverpool's attack.

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is thought to be a key target, but his £150m price tag is likely to end their pursuit before it can truly begin. Recent reports have talked up a possible move for Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike instead.

Isak is a key target / Visionhaus/GettyImages

At least one new full-back is also expected to be recruited. On the right side, Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to leave on a free transfer to join Real Madrid, while there have been doubts over the long-term future of left-back Andy Robertson.

It is thought that Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong and Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez are among Liverpool's top targets for their defensive reinforcements.

Regardless of who Liverpool choose to pursue, manager Arne Slot believes the opportunity of playing alongside Salah will help the Reds convince players to make the move this summer.

"If I put myself in the shoes of a player we might want to sign, it's always nice to tell them that Mo has extended his contract," Slot said. "That helps but what helps the most is that we kept a quality player who has scored, for seven or eight years in a row, so many goals for us.

"As I said, football is a game where we are mostly judged on the goals we score and the ones we do not concede. So it's helpful to have a player who scores goals. That's for sure."