​Replacing Mohamed Salah was always going to be Liverpool’s biggest challenge this summer.On the latest edition of Media Matters from Anfield Index, Eddie Gibbs and Liverpool journalist David Lynch discussed exactly where Liverpool now stand after missing out on Yan Diomande, and why Bradley Barcola has emerged as the most compelling alternative. Their conversation painted the picture of a club facing perhaps its most important recruitment decision of the window.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLiverpool may have accepted that Salah’s extraordinary era had reached its conclusion, but identifying the right successor has proved considerably more difficult.One of the strongest conclusions from the discussion was that Liverpool invested heavily in trying to sign Yan Diomande.Gibbs questioned whether the club should already have had Salah’s replacement secured before allowing the Egyptian to depart.“When they agreed to rip up Mohamed Salah’s contract and let him walk away for free, an elite right sided winger would almost, ninety nine percent, be in the bag.”David Lynch largely agreed with that assessment.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I just think it’s a big worry that clearly they had a lot of eggs in the Diomande basket.”While sympathetic to Liverpool’s recruitment staff, Lynch acknowledged the risks involved.“There was a little bit of confidence behind the scenes that they would get that done.”He also recognised how negotiations can quickly change.“You can get led along by agents.”Despite missing out, Lynch believed Liverpool had little choice but to pursue the player.“They had to try for Diomande. I don’t blame them at all for trying and failing there because I think they had to give it a go. He was the best right winger on the market.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe problem now is not missing out on one player.It is ensuring the next decision is the correct one.Lynch stressed that Liverpool’s willingness to move experienced players on must be matched by equally strong recruitment.He warned against creating gaps that are not properly filled.“The decision to let Salah go for me is probably the right one.”However, he immediately followed that with a significant concern.“I’m very worried that the decision that comes after is going to be the wrong one.”His wider point centred on Liverpool’s increasingly selective recruitment policy.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Are we going to end up in a situation where either at centre half or right wing or central midfield that Liverpool end up being a player short because they’ve been happy to make the decision on the outgoing but the decision that they made on the incoming hasn’t been good enough?”For Liverpool, replacing one of the greatest forwards in the club’s history was never likely to be straightforward.Missing the preferred target has only increased the importance of what happens next.Photo: IMAGOAttention has no