Mohamed Salah is one of the best players Liverpool have ever had on their books, and is perhaps the iconic player, should you have to choose just one, of the Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield.
The Egyptian was the final part of the front line that Klopp has assembled on Merseyside, signing from AS Roma for around £36 million, and has since established himself as one of the most recognised faces in world sport.
But going forward, the Reds will need to search for someone to take over his role at the club, given that he will not be able to continue forever.
Salah, who turns 28 in June, is arguably the most difficult player of Liverpool’s front three to replace, given that he has scored an incredible 91 goals in 144 matches to date for the Reds – a quite astonishing number.
Josh Williams and David Hughes compiled a likely shortlist of players that the Reds could target as replacements for their irreplaceable trio on the Analysing Anfield podcast.
These are the players that they picked out to replace Salah, ranked from the least likely player Liverpool will chase to the most likely transfer target, with the pros and cons for each option explained.
Calvin Stengs – AZ Alkmaar
Pros:
A 21-year-old rising star of the Eredivisie, Stengs has posted a noticeable output of 2.7 shots per 90 minutes this season, with 40 per cent on of them on target – a ratio which is very similar to Salah’s.
Stengs is similar, too, when it comes to dribbling: Salah dribbles 5.9 times per 90 minutes, while Stengs carries the ball just over 5.0 times in the same period.
The Netherlands man is also left-footed and plays on the right, making him stylistically comparable to Salah, something that can only be useful when looking to find a successor to a man who, like Arjen Robben, has made that jink in from the right his trademark.
Cons:
The Dutch winger, who has been linked with a move to Everton in the past, has employed Mino Raiola as his representative, so a move somewhere is likely to be on the cards sooner rather than later.
Liverpool, though, tend not to deal with the Italian-born agent, which could prove a sticking point.
Stengs would also have to demonstrate his ability to translate the numbers – and even improve them – once he had moved to the Premier League, which has not always proven possible for players moving across from the Netherlands.
Verdict:
Stengs is definitely a player to watch in the coming years, though whether he would be ready in the next few months to sign for the Reds is unlikely.
Longer term, he may be one they keep tabs on.
Leon Bailey – Bayer Leverkusen
Pros:
Now 22, the Jamaican winger has scored five times in 14 league matches this season – a decent record from the wing.
He also has a lot of experience having featured in the Champions League for his current side, making his senior debut – and then his European debut – in February 2017 at the age of 19.
(Image: Jörg Schüler/Getty Images)
Cons:
Bailey often plays on the left and is left-footed, so he is a more natural winger, rather than a Salah mould, though that could be something that is trained out of him.
He has also only made 22 appearances in all competitions this season thanks to injuries and suspensions (he has been sent off twice) so does not have the best recent record in that regard.
Verdict:
Like many players at Leverkusen, including Kai Havertz, another option that Liverpool are thought to be considering ahead of the summer transfer window, Bailey’s valuation would likely be enormous.
The Reds have the funds to make a significant investment this summer, but might be persuaded that there is better value in the market elsewhere.
David Neres – Ajax
Pros:
Still just 24, Neres has been posting an xG (expected goals) of just over 0.3 goals per 90 minutes this season, which is a more than decent number for a wide man.
He takes significantly fewer shots than Salah but is more accurate with the ones he does hit, with around a 50 per cent success rate when it comes to hitting the target.
(Image: VI Images via Getty Images)
Cons:
The Brazilian is less creative than Salah, with his output in that regard lagging behind other similar players in the same mould.
He has managed just two assists in 20 appearances in all competitions this campaign, which does not compare well with Salah’s nine.
Verdict:
Neres possibly needs to mature a little more as a player before he is ready to make the move to a really elite club, but at the same time, he is at the age where he might need to move elsewhere to reach the next level.
Liverpool could take a chance on him but it feels more likely that they will spend their money elsewhere and allow someone else to take that risk.
Samuel Chukwueze – Villarreal
Pros:
At 20 years old, Chukwueze is most definitely one for the future rather than the immediate, though that is what the Reds will be looking for when it comes to long-term front line alternatives.
With figures like taking 2.1 shots per 90 minutes and providing 1.4 shot assists per 90 minutes, there is a good base level from which the winger can push on from again as he gains experience at the top level.
Cons:
Chukwueze has only netted four goals and laid on four assists so far this season – one or the other every 203 minutes – which is nowhere near the output level required at the top level.
He remains very raw at this moment in time and would need time to adapt to English football and evolve into the potential player that he could become.
Verdict:
Chukwueze has been linked with a move to Anfield in the past and has been mentioned as being someone that the Reds have been scouting for some time.
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The Nigerian is certainly an exciting player with much potential, though Liverpool would not be the only club in for him at the right price.
Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho could be another option for the Reds to consider, though he plays more frequently off the left side.
He was considered as part of the conversation surrounding potential successors to Sadio Mane, which you can read by clicking here.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah plan and exciting youngsters that could fit in - Liverpool Echo
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