MO Salah is irreplaceable at Liverpool – but so were Kevin Keegan, Fernando Torres and Roberto Firmino.
Salah is going to leave Anfield one day and if that day is soon, the Reds urgently need to find a player or players who can match the Egyptian winger’s incredible attacking contribution.
When Keegan moved to Hamburg in 1977, Liverpool signed Kenny Dalglish from Celtic and the super Scot became a club legend as a player and manager.
On the same transfer deadline day that Fernando Torres left for Chelsea for £50m, the Reds brought in Luis Suarez for £22.8 from Ajax.
But the jury is still out on whether Darwin Nunez, who cost an initial £64m, will spearhead the club to the same level of achievement as previous No 9 Firmino.
And finding someone to step into the shoes of Salah, Liverpool’s record Premier League and Champions League goalscorer, is arguably the greatest challenge Kop bosses have ever faced.
Salah’s contract situation puts his current employers in a tough situation.
Chief executive of football Michael Edwards and director of football Richard Hughes will be doing their best to find a way to keep their main man at the club beyond next summer, when his existing contract expires.
But regardless of the outcome of those negotiations, they will also have been working on a succession plan.
Here SunSport looks at five leading pretenders to the throne of the Egyptian King.
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MOHAMMED KUDUS – West Ham
The Hammers’ left-footed Ghanaian international, 24, is probably the closest thing in the Premier League to a potential like-for-like replacement for Salah.
Liverpool were sniffing around in the summer and are known to rate Kudus highly, although his numbers this season suffer badly from a five-game suspension.
But reports of a release clause of £85m don’t help his cause when there may be better value elsewhere in the market.
JOHAN BAKAYOKO – PSV Eindhoven
Left-footed right winger? Check. Well-known to Arne Slot? Absolutely, after playing a big role in PSV dethroning Slot’s Feyenoord as Dutch champions.
And an exciting young talent with the potential to become a superstar? At 21 and already a Belgium international, very much so.
Bakayoko ticks a lot of boxes, including a contract that runs out in less than two years. PSV’s fee demands would determine how much of a gamble he is.
KARIM-DAVID ADEYEMI – Borussia Dortmund
The Reds have been keeping an eye on Adeyemi for a long time, since even before he joined Red Bull Salzburg as a 16 year old.
After showing only flashes of his potential in his first two seasons at Dortmund, the Germany international, 22, really hit the ground running in this campaign before suffering an injury that has kept him out since October.
His stats are miles off Salah’s – but so were Salah’s before he came to Liverpool.
BRYAN MBEUMO – Brentford
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The least sexy option but could the versatile Cameroon international, 25, be the best? There are good reasons why Arsenal have also been linked with Mbeumo.
He is tucked in just behind Erling Haaland and Salah this season in the race for the Golden Boot with eight goals, already almost matching his best Premier League tally.
Would he get even better in a more front-foot team? With his contract up in 2026, it is a tempting punt.
OMAR MARMOUSH – Eintracht Frankfurt
Who better to replace the Egyptian King than his countryman, especially given the red-hot form he is in so far this season?
With 11 goals and seven assists in 11 Bundesliga matches, Marmoush is one of European football’s ’s hottest properties. Not being an out-and-out winger should not be a deal-breaker for a coach like Slot.
But the price might be if competition for the 25 year old’s services proves really fierce.
