Former Netherlands international Ryan Babel has disclosed that it is impossible for Bradley Barcola to directly fill the shoes of club legend Mohamed Salah at Liverpool. While Liverpool spent big to bring in Bradley Barcola from PSG, the former player pointed out that Barcola primarily operates on the left wing, whereas Salah dominated the right flank for nine years.
Babel noted that replacing Salah’s incredible legacy, which included 377 goal contributions in 442 appearances, is an impossible feat for any incoming player. “I think he understands the game and is still young, so there are only positive signs for him to become the player he could be for Liverpool,” Babel told Liverpool tickets. “I don’t think we should see Bradley Barcola as trying to fill the boots of an icon.
I think he should try and focus on himself to make it his own way of helping the club. “I remember the days when we thought that a player like Steven Gerrard was irreplaceable. Now, of course, there’s no player like Steven Gerrard, but eventually, as a club, you moved on and better times came ahead. “Football always moves on, a club always moves on, and nobody will ever be Mo Salah.
But that’s okay. I think the player should not necessarily think ‘I need to fill the boots of Mo Salah.’ I think that’s impossible.” Rather than a like-for-like swap on the right wing, Barcola’s arrival adds pace and depth to the attack, leaving fans to view his signing as an evolution of the frontline rather than a direct replacement for Salah’s unique output.