Stop EVERYTHING: Liverpool might have their next Mo Salah
Stop EVERYTHING: Liverpool might have their next Mo Salah
Liverpool might have found their next Mo Salah. It's time to stop the transfer plans.
Liverpool relied fairly heavily on Mo Salah last season. The Egyptian put in arguably the most incredible season of his career - and that's saying something, given his debut campaign saw him break the Premier League goal record for a 38-game season.
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But that's really how good he was. Salah won both the Premier League Golden Boot and the Playmaker award in a sensational effort as Liverpool won the title.
There is a bit of a 'problem' here, though. Salah turned 33 this month and has two years left on his Liverpool contract. It's difficult to believe there will be another one after that.
The forward will not be at this level forever and Liverpool even need to entertain the idea that next season sees a drop-off. Now, we don't think that will happen but you've got to be open to it. Just in case.
So here's the real problem: Liverpool don't have another Salah. No one really does, in truth, such is his incredibly high level.
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We mean that there's no obvious successor, no backup, no replacement. Or is there?
Harvey Elliott is thriving
Harvey Elliott scored twice for England Under 21s on Thursday as they qualified for the UEFA U21 European Championship final. The Liverpool star was the best player on the pitch - and clearly the most decisive.
Elliott proved without a doubt that he's a fantastic player and one worth incredible money. That latter part is particularly relevant as Liverpool are open to selling him.
The 22-year-old barely started last season under Arne Slot. Injuries halted things in the opening few months but Elliott simply didn't get many chances after that - despite some brilliant moments.
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Because the truth is, Elliott is a fantastic player. His performance against the Netherlands on Wednesday suggests he's what Liverpool are looking for, too, as Salah's successor.
Elliott put up seven shots while playing from the right flank - Salah numbers. It's something the Egyptian has done 26 times in the Premier League since moving to Anfield and a real hallmark of his play.
You don't need to be the greatest finisher in the world - the important thing is getting chances. That's the difficult part.
Elliott has shown he can do that and it's a trait few players can match. But it also shows that there's real potential from him as a right-winger.
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His 'best' position has typically been seen to be through the middle or in midfield under Jurgen Klopp. Is the secret here actually that Elliott does it all? Is he actually a brilliantly versatile player who can backup Salah like few can while also doing the same for Florian Wirtz?
We think he might be, even if Liverpool don't necessarily agree. Regardless, we think a big-match display like Wednesday's - and the similarities to a Salah display - should stop any plans to sell for now.
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