Though he might not be at the level of a few seasons ago, Mohammed Salah still remains Liverpool’s talisman.
The Egyptian King is at the heart of everything good that the Reds do, and leads by example in every match that he plays for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
It’s clear that the Saudi Pro League sides are going to keep trying to bring the striker to the UAE, offering untold riches in the process, but even if Salah decides against such a switch, he’s not getting any younger.
He’ll be 32 next summer and though he’s still as fit as a fiddle it stands to reason that his sharpness in front of goal will begin to diminish.
With that in mind, scouring the market for potential long-term replacements wouldn’t be the worst idea that the club’s recruitment team have ever had, and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Pedro Neto is one who would arguably fit the bill.
“You start to think who are the best left-footed players on the right with some Premier League quality and it would make sense if Neto was on that shortlist wouldn’t it? It’s a hard profile to try to replace,” The Athletic’s Mark Critchley said on the BBC Football Gossip Daily Podcast.
“Look, I don’t think Neto is at Salah levels just yet, but if you want someone who can grow into that, and who is already able to do it at this level, he will certainly be on the list I think, so Liverpool are ones to watch.”
At 23 years of age, his supposed peak years are some way off yet, and Critchley’s view that he could grow into the Salah role isn’t without merit.
Whether Wolves would be willing to sell and at a price that’s acceptable to Liverpool is another issue entirely.