Liverpool to REPLACE Federico Chiesa with £30m winger
The forward line has already gone through some significant changes this summer and we're set for more if the rumoured moves come to fruition. Each of the absentees will need to be replaced.
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We've already seen Hugo Ekitike join to help replace Darwin Nunez when he moves on and Diogo Jota's passing has sadly meant that another striker could join - Alexander Isak is highly favoured.
Luis Diaz's move to Bayern Munich might result in Malick Fofana at Lyon being approached, although Cody Gakpo will be given an even bigger role in his absence and Rio Ngumoha's extraordinary performances throughout pre-season have given the Englishman hopes of some senior minutes.
Since it's likely that Chiesa will leave, someone has already been identified as his replacement.
Liverpool already have Chiesa's replacement
Playing as Mohamed Salah's understudy was always going to be a difficult job. At times, you feel there might be an opportunity to play a substantial role in the team, but if you have a season where the Egyptian delivers 57 goal contributions, then you might feel shut-out on the sidelines.
Slot didn't really know what to do with Chiesa last season and regular minutes are going to be essential if he has plans of making Italy's World Cup squad next summer. A move is understandable.
Now that Salah has signed a new two-year deal with the club, you would expect him to have another main role in the team this season, which would be a spanner in the Italian's plans. But if you have a developing young player as his understudy at right-wing, then things start to make more sense.
The 33-year-old Egyptian will need to be replaced eventually as he starts to slow down towards the end of his career, and having his successor develop alongside him would be a beneficial move.
As such, it seems logical for Ben Doak to be promoted to the first team after a number of loan moves.
He spent last season on loan with Middlesbrough in the Championship and he played a particularly extensive role, making featuring for 1787 minutes and delivering three goals and seven assists.
In addition, he was heavily reported to have put most of the defenders he faced on skids, dribbling past them with relative ease, even despite him being marked by three opposition players at times.
At Anfield on Monday afternoon, when the Reds played Athletic Bilbao in a pre-season friendly, he scored from a tight angle and delivered a pin-point ball into Ngumoha to assist the second goal.
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