Michael Owen believes Mohamed Salah has set an unreachable benchmark for Liverpool's pricey new signings, Bradley Barcola and Florian Virts. The former Reds striker also expressed serious doubts over whether the German midfielder will ever find his feet at Anfield.
In Sunday’s Premier League clash against Manchester City, which ended in a disappointing 0-3 loss for the Reds, Virts was virtually invisible on the pitch. Meanwhile, Barcola lacked the courage and confidence to take on his marker, Matheus Nunes. With Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, and Hugo Ekitike unavailable, it was young guns Victor Munoz and Lewis Kumas who unexpectedly looked the more dangerous options in attack.
Prior to Ryan Gravenberch's red card in the 62nd minute, Liverpool had managed to create some chances. However, both Virts and Barcola repeatedly made poor decisions in the final third. Following the dismissal of Gravenberch, Virts was substituted for Trey Nyon, while Barcola failed to trouble the visitors' defence and was replaced by Federico Chiesa in the 88th minute.
This lackluster performance has stirred significant criticism, especially given the hefty sums involved: Virts cost Liverpool a staggering £116 million while Barcola was brought in for £123 million.
Owen is adamant that the newcomers will find it incredibly difficult to justify those price tags, primarily due to the relentless comparisons with the club's legend, Salah:
“It's a genuine problem for Liverpool when it comes to the money spent on various players. Clearly, the transfer window that saw the arrivals of Isak, Ekitike, and Virts is not looking like the best investment right now. There's a saying that a rising tide lifts all boats, but this seems to be an 'all or nothing' scenario.”
“I don’t consider them bad players. In fact, they are exceptional talents. When they were signed, I was filled with hopes and excitement. But now the team is performing poorly. In situations like this, the eye naturally drifts to those who commanded hefty fees. The question arises: ‘Wait, this team was brilliant last year, spent all this money—where's the miscalculation?’ All attention immediately turns to the most expensive signings, and that’s only natural.”
Reflecting on the individual stats of the wingers, the ex-striker underscored the daunting challenge of even coming close to Salah's figures:
“I know Barcola has played just five matches, but even regarding this transfer, the expectation is to deliver numbers akin to Mo Salah. The hierarchy considers it this way: if we’re spending such sums, we need to see corresponding output. However, no one can get anywhere near Salah's stats, and that presents difficulties.”
“I refuse to believe Virts isn’t good enough. We’ve seen his level in other leagues and with the national team. But there’s no doubt that he’s playing below his capabilities in a Liverpool shirt, and this has been ongoing for over a year. This is a significant issue. The club needs to find a way to get the best out of him because he has immense potential. The question is whether they can unlock it, given that a whole year has already passed.”
