If Mohamed Salah rocks up at Old Trafford for what might well be the final time next month, Manchester United will be hoping that the departing Liverpool legend isn’t up to his usual tricks, having so often been a thorn in the side of the Red Devils in recent years.
Those of a United persuasion might well be glad to see the back of the Egyptian, in truth, considering his stellar record in this fixture to date.
|
Salah – Career record vs Big Six |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Club |
Games |
Goals (Assists) |
|
Spurs |
25 |
16 (5) |
|
Man Utd |
18 |
16 (6) |
|
Man City |
26 |
13 (8) |
|
Arsenal |
19 |
11 (2) |
|
Chelsea |
25 |
8 (4) |
|
Total |
113 |
64 (25) |
Indeed, in 18 appearances against the Red Devils in league and cup, the 33-year-old has scored on 16 occasions, all of which have come since the start of 2020 alone.
It might pain United supporters to admit it, but the former Chelsea and Roma man is the cream of the crop when it comes to modern Premier League forwards, having broken records galore since his return from Italy back in 2017.
Now, the battle is on to find the top-flight’s next Salah, heading into this summer.
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The priority at Old Trafford, alongside the appointment of a new permanent manager, is the midfield unit, although there’s certainly still room for improvement in an attacking sense.
Amad, on just two goals and two assists for the season, hasn’t contributed at all in 2026. Bryan Mbeumo hasn’t scored since the win over Tottenham Hotspur. And Matheus Cunha has scored just twice in his last nine.
The latter pairing, signed for £65m and £62.5m, respectively, have enjoyed creditable debut seasons in Manchester, but ahead of a potential Champions League run next term, further firepower is a necessity.
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With that in mind, SportsBoom have reported that United are battling Arsenal for the signing of Borussia Dortmund star, Karim Adeyemi, with the Bundesliga side willing to cash in on the German ahead of next season.
It is said that Dortmund are ‘open to negotiations’ for a fee of around €60m (£52m), with INEOS ready to present a financial offer to the German giants at the ‘start of the summer’.
Meanwhile, title hopefuls Arsenal have also entered the fray, with Mikel Arteta and Co viewing the 24-year-old as something of a ‘joker’, an explosive, game-changing forward who can operate all across the frontline.
Why Adeyemi could be the Premier League’s next Salah
Eyebrows were raised when Liverpool forked out a £34m fee to prise Salah from Rome in the summer of 2017, with even Jurgen Klopp believed to have reservations over a player who had previously struggled to make the grade at Stamford Bridge.
The bright minds on Merseyside saw something and stuck to their guns, however, banking on a player who had chalked up 55 goals and assists in just 83 games at the Stadio Olimpico.
The rest, as they say, is history, with Salah proving a devastating presence off that right flank right from the word go, a combination of frightening pace and terrifying dribbling ability in his pomp.
Adeyemi, just a year younger than the Egyptian was when he moved to Anfield, might not be quite at that level yet, but, as was the case with Salah, there’s more than enough reason to take a chance on him.
Previously earmarked as a potential replacement for the ageing winger at Liverpool, the former Red Bull Salzburg starlet is such a weapon at his best, regularly saving his prime work for the big occasion.
Watch a mere montage of Champions League highlights of recent seasons, and an outsider would assume that he is one of the world’s very best players, boasting a combination of almost unstoppable speed and brutal finishing prowess.
The problem, like for a young Salah, is that the left-footer hasn’t shown enough over a consistent period, but when fit and firing, it’s hard to argue with his undoubted talent.
In a Dortmund shirt to date, the £52m-rated forward has chalked up 60 goals and assists in 144 games, 15 of which have come in 34 outings in 2025/26.
As noted above, the Champions League stage has been particularly kind to Adeyemi too, scoring 16 times in just 48 appearances in the competition, alongside registering a further seven assists.
Last season, for example, he scored five in ten in Europe’s premier competition, including a clinical hat-trick against Scottish champions Celtic in the league phase.
While comfortable off the left or in the centre, it is as a right-winger where he is at his most potent, thus making him an attractive target for a United side who have seen Amad come off the boil in recent months.
With Bukayo Saka struggling for form and fitness, and Noni Madueke scoring just two league goals in his debut campaign at the Emirates, it’s easy to see why the Gunners are also in the mix, ensuring INEOS could have a real fight on their hands if they are to get a deal over the line.
It’s an era where Premier League-proven quality is king, yet as Liverpool showcased with regard to Salah, sometimes you just need to take the risk.
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