THOMAS FRANK claims there is no limit to how good Bryan Mbeumo can be.
So could he be the next Mohamed Salah?
The 25-year-old Brentford striker has scored 13 Premier League goals this season as the Bees eye their highest position in the top flight in almost 90 years.
Only Salah, Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak, Cole Palmer and Chris Wood have scored more this campaign.
When asked how good his star man could become in the coming years, Bees boss Frank said: “Good question, I don't know.
“My job, and the job of my coaches, is to maximize the potential of every player. When you maximize potential, you don't know what the ceiling is.
'It's impossible to guess. I've learned that over many, many years.
“We tend to say, 'Oh well, he'll never make it' or, 'He'll be so, so good.' We don't really know. But what I do know is that he has great potential. And we must continue to maximize that.
“He is complete as a player. He scores goals, assists, creates chances, works incredibly hard, is a good player.
“His hold-up game, especially in the tougher situations, has been added.
'The precise weight of that last pass. His competitiveness in the air and those aerial duels is also something he has added to his game.
“He is developing into a very, very good player. And besides, he's very good at taking penalties. Look at his stats.
“One day he may leave us and we will see another part of his development.
“That is the privilege of being here for a long time. I have seen many players grow to the next level; he has definitely grown to an incredible level.”
It's no surprise then that Liverpool's hierarchy are casting admiring glances in Mbeumo's direction.
Since Salah's future was uncertain, they may have found the heir to the Egyptian king's throne.
Mbeumo, signed by Brentford from Troyes in 2019 for £5.8 million, has been compared to Salah in style and impact.
The duo play in similar positions and incredible data shows the pair even scoring from similar positions.
Statistics show that Mbeumo is not as happy as Salah, with the Egyptian having 83 attempts on goal (the second most in the league), compared to 42 for the Brentford man.
That plays a role in Salah missing 14 big chances so far this season, compared to Mbeumo's far less wasteful six.
Both share the ability to hold the ball and vicious acceleration.
If Salah leaves, and he continues to be courted by Saudi Arabia, it will be difficult for Liverpool to find a more suitable replacement.
Decision time
Mbeumo being out of contract in the summer of 2026 will likely force Brentford to make a decision on whether to sell for big money this summer or let his contract expire and leave for nothing.
For now, however, the rising star is keeping his focus on Brentford.
Frank added: “Bryan still has a big, happy smile. He laughs and jokes with his teammates. He trains harder and focuses on training.
“He has been almost unplayable in many games. I don't think (speculation) affected anything in his training.
“Very, very rarely do I ask a player: 'Ah, all these rumours, you should probably just concentrate'. I don't think about it that much myself.
“The problem probably comes when it gets closer and there needs to be a done deal. There is no problem at this time.”
Liverpool won't be the only side interested in signing Mbeumo.
SunSport understands that Arsenal and Newcastle are also interested in the French-born striker.
Wherever the future lies for Mbeumo, there really seems to be no limit.
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