Liverpool’s Golden Boot Race 2025/26: Can Salah Hold Off New Signings?

Liverpool won a record-equalling 20th title in England’s top flight last season on the back of Mohamed Salah’s remarkable form.

Arne Slot won the Premier League in his first season on Merseyside, largely thanks to the 33-year-old’s formidable goalscoring record.

Salah was named the Player of the Season for the second time since arriving at Anfield in 2017 after racking up a jaw-dropping 47 goal contributions.

Though his 18 league assists left him just short of Thierry Henry’s all-time record for a single Premier League season, 29 goals crowned him the Golden Boot winner for the fourth time.

With that in mind, it’s hard to ignore the sense that the Reds have grown increasingly reliant on their talismanic winger, who shows no signs of slowing down despite turning 33 in June.

Aware of the situation, Liverpool embarked on a shopping spree in the summer transfer window, splashing out £295.5 million on seven new additions, including the club record signing, Alexander Isak.

Isak’s arrival from Newcastle United on deadline day set the Anfield powerhouse back a British record fee of around £125m, yet the Swedish striker has stuttered at the start of the season.

Fresh firepower

While Isak is still waiting for his first Premier League goal in the Reds shirt, his attacking comrade, Hugo Ekitike, has hit the ground running.

The Frenchman has tallied three goals and one assist in six league outings, leading Spreadex Sports’ research to put him in the 10-goal region for the season.

Despite Isak’s slow start, the same analysis backs him to hit a 12-goal landmark in his maiden campaign at Anfield.

Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo, who went from strength to strength during Liverpool’s title-winning season, will likely play a prominent role again this season.

As such, Spreadex projects the Dutch forward to reach double figures in 2025/26, even though he may spend less time on the pitch than he did last term.

Florian Wirtz, who used to tear defences apart in the Bundesliga, has been a mere shadow of his former self at Anfield. However, as an elite playmaker, the German prodigy is in contention for at least five goals.

New arrivals should help alleviate the pressure on Salah, providing Liverpool with greater attacking depth and reducing the team’s reliance on the veteran’s individual brilliance.

One-man army

Salah has been Liverpool’s headline performer since joining the club from Roma eight years ago, carving his name out in the club’s history books.

However, the Egyptian superstar is approaching the autumn of his illustrious career.

Unfazed by the passing of time, Salah has enjoyed a decent start to the season, scoring two goals and adding two assists in the opening seven Premier League rounds.

Though that’s a far cry from last season’s numbers, Salah remains odds-on to be the Reds’ top scorer in the league this season, with Spreadex backing him to hit a 14-goal mark.

Given Isak’s poor start and Wirtz’s inability to adapt to the Premier League’s high intensity, the former Chelsea flop may have to outperform predictions to help Liverpool retain the crown.

Big-money signings must step up

Isak’s early struggles at Anfield probably stem from a turbulent summer.

The 26-year-old forced his move to Liverpool in the final hours of the transfer window, pushing Newcastle into a sale they were reluctant to make.

Yet, after hitting a 20-goal mark in the last two Premier League seasons, he arrived at Liverpool carrying lofty expectations.

The same applies to Wirtz, who established himself as one of Europe’s finest talents at Bayer Leverkusen.

Both players have the quality to become game-changers under Slot, yet they must hit top form sooner rather than later if they’re to help Liverpool keep pace with Manchester City and Arsenal.