How Liverpool replace Salah – five best options to succeed record-breaking star

MO Salah is irreplaceable at Liverpool, but so are Kevin Keegan, Fernando Torres and Roberto Firmino.

Salah will leave Anfield one day and if that day comes soon, the Reds desperately 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 £50 million, the Reds signed Luis Suarez from Ajax for £22.8.

But the jury is still out on whether Darwin Nunez, who initially cost £64m, will lead the club to the same level of performance as previous No.9 Firmino.

And finding someone to step into the shoes of Salah, Liverpool's record scorer in the Premier League and Champions League, may be the biggest challenge Kop bosses have ever faced.

Salah's contract situation puts his current employers in a difficult situation.

Chief executive of football Michael Edwards and director of football Richard Hughes will do 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 Egyptian king.

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MOHAMMED KUDUS-West Ham

The Hammers' left-footed Ghanaian international, 24, is probably the closest the Premier League has come to a potential like-for-like replacement for Salah.

Liverpool were sniffing around last summer and are known to rate Kudus highly, although his numbers have suffered badly this season following a five-match suspension.

But reports of an £85m release clause are not helping his case, while better value may be found elsewhere in the market.

JOHAN BAKAYOKO-PSV Eindhoven

Left-footed right winger? Bill. Known to Arne Slot? Absolutely, after playing a major role in PSV dethroning Slot's Feyenoord as national champions.

And an exciting young talent with the potential to become a superstar? At the age of 21 and already a Belgian international, very bad.

Bakayoko meets many requirements, including a contract that expires in less than two years. PSV's fee demands would determine to what extent he is a gamble.

KARIM-DAVID ADEYEMI-Borussia Dortmund

The Reds have been monitoring Adeyemi for a long time, even before he joined Red Bull Salzburg as a 16-year-old.

After showing only flashes of potential in his first two seasons at Dortmund, the 22-year-old German international really hit the ground running this season before suffering an injury that has kept him out since October.

His stats are miles behind Salah's, but so was Salah before he came to Liverpool.

BRYAN MBEUMO – Brentford

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 sits just behind Erling Haaland and Salah in the race for the Golden Boot this season with eight goals, almost equaling his best Premier League tally.

Would he get even better in a more prominent team? With his contract expiring until 2026, it's a tempting gamble.

OMAR MARMOUSH – Eintracht Frankfurt

Who better to replace the Egyptian king than his compatriot, especially given the red-hot form he has been in so far this season?

With eleven goals and seven assists in eleven Bundesliga games, Marmoush is one of the most popular players in European football. The fact that he is not a true winger should not be a deal breaker for a coach like Slot.

But the price could rise if competition for the 25-year-old's services proves to be truly fierce.