Liverpool should pull out all the stops to sign Michael Olise as Mohamed Salah's successor this summer, former Reds midfielder Jermaine Pennant says. Salah is set to depart at the end of the season, leaving an enormous void to fill at Anfield. The Egyptian talisman has netted 257 goals in 440 appearances for Liverpool across the past nine seasons and may have already played his final match for the club, having picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend.

The spotlight is firmly on Liverpool's recruitment team to deliver the goods after last summer's transfer window failed to produce the desired results. Liverpool boss Arne Slot has already conceded that it is "probably impossible" to find a direct replacement for Salah, though RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande is among those on the club's radar.

Olise has enjoyed a sensational campaign, registering 20 goals and 29 assists in 47 appearances for Bayern Munich this season, despite the dramatic 5-4 Champions League semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night. The winger is contracted to Bayern until 2029, having joined from Crystal Palace in 2024 for a reported £51million, yet Pennant is adamant his former club should make a bold move.

Having watched Olise net a stunning strike against PSG, Pennant took to social media to declare: "Liverpool go out and get Olise right now, at all costs. There is your replacement for Mo Salah. AT ALL COSTS. Any amount plus Gakpo."

Cody Gakpo has faced considerable criticism from Liverpool supporters this season, having contributed just eight goals and six assists across 48 appearances in all competitions. The Dutchman still has four years remaining on his contract at Anfield.

It is safe to say that Pennant's bold claim failed to resonate with many, with numerous responses questioning why Olise would contemplate swapping Bayern for Liverpool at present, particularly given the German giants have romped to the Bundesliga title and remain in contention for a treble.

Bayern are equally reluctant to part with one of their prized assets. When recently quizzed on whether Olise would be remaining at the club, Bayern chief executive Max Eberl stated: "Absolutely." Pressed further on whether that stance would hold firm even in the face of a substantial offer, he replied: "Yes. We're not having a second to think about anything."

Pennant's appeal comes in the wake of Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard sharing his glowing admiration for the Frenchman. "When you are a full-back playing up against a winger, they normally have a weak side and you show them one way or another, depending what foot they are," he remarked on TNT Sports.

"The problem with him is he can go both ways, his right foot is just as strong as his left. You really want to show him on his right foot because that's probably his weaker side, but you see some of the assists he's getting, some of the finishes with his right foot. If you leave him in one-versus-one situations, you are in major trouble."