Liverpool have plenty of plates spinning ahead of the transfer deadline, though they could now have some thinking to do after a sizeable offer was made for one of their key men.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot retains optimism amid transfer deadline

While Liverpool’s two-pronged pursuit of Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi plays out, there are plenty of other reasons for Arne Slot to remain optimistic as his side look to claim the Premier League title once again.

Hugo Ekitike’s arrival from Eintracht Frankfurt has lived up to expectations, and the Dutchman is confident the Frenchman will only continue to improve over the coming months as he fully settles in at Anfield.

Addressing his development and how he can improve, Slot said before his side took on Arsenal: “I think he’s already made a big impact in the attacking part of our game. The most simple answer to what he can improve is his match fitness. So I expect him to do even a lot more without the ball than he already does, because he’s already working hard.

“There he can improve, which is completely normal, because he has to adjust from a different league, from a different playing style. “

With a wealth of riches at his disposal, Slot also wants to bring Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers to Anfield, albeit that may be easier said than done, given they are already working on other deals at a late stage in the window.

New Gakpo: Liverpool agree personal terms for "unplayable" new signing

Liverpool are looking to complete a few more signings before the transfer deadline on Monday.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 29, 2025

Excitement is bubbling ahead of a deadline day that could deliver another few statement signings, though there is now a scenario where one of the Dutchman’s key men could be set to leave Anfield for a new challenge.

Liverpool could allow Ibrahima Konate to depart for Real Madrid

According to reports in Spain via Anfield Watch, Liverpool were willing to allow Ibrahima Konate to leave for the Saudi Pro League, but the player himself has rejected a move that would’ve been worth over £50 million to head to the Gulf region.

While the team that put forward the proposal remains unnamed, the Reds clearly have one eye on his contract situation, as his deal is set to expire next summer. Their pursuit of Crystal Palace star Guehi is only likely to fan the flames further, suggesting that a departure may be on the cards.

After featuring against Arsenal in the 1-0 victory at Anfield, Konate has made 136 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, and in that time, has cemented himself as a key figure under Slot and Jurgen Klopp.

Labelled “sensational” by David Lynch, the France international won 137 duels in the Premier League during the Reds’ title victory last term, though speculation over his future may well lead to a considerable dilemma over whether to stick or twist in light of his complex contract situation.

Jacks’ utility, pacers bowling slow and trying yorkers ensured SRH couldn’t run away despite finding luck

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Apr-2025Mumbai Indians won what could yet be an important toss – given the chance of dew – and restricted Sunrisers Hyderabad to 162 for 5 on an unusually sluggish surface at the Wankhede Stadium. MI’s bowlers used changes of pace and used the yorker frequently throughout the innings to keep SRH quiet despite an opening stand of 59 between Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, and it was only thanks to a pair of 21-run overs at the death that SRH got past 160.Five sixes came in those two overs – the 18th and 20th, bowled by Deepak Chahar and Hardik Pandya respectively – and those were the only sixes in SRH’s innings. There was some impressive hitting involved, particularly from Heinrich Klaasen and Aniket Verma, but it was instructive that three of the sixes came off full-tosses.There were seven full-tosses in all over the last three overs, and that could yet be a sign of dew setting in, which could potentially make batting easier for the chasing team.One of those full-tosses produced a wicket, bowling Klaasen as he tried to manufacture room, and it was unsurprisingly delivered by the man with the most challenging full-toss in the game, Jasprit Bumrah. MI’s talisman set the tone for them with 1 for 21 in his four overs, two of which came in the powerplay.Their most successful bowler on the day, though, was Will Jacks, who picked up a remarkable 2 for 14 in three overs. The offspinner, used immediately after the powerplay to match up against SRH’s left-handed top three, found plenty of grip and took the wickets of Ishan Kishan and Head.Jacks not only bossed his match-up but also gave MI breathing room after they lost their legspinner Karn Sharma to an injury in the third over of the match. Karn, the Player of the Match in their last game against Delhi Capitals, went off the field with what seemed to be a split webbing after diving forward at midwicket to try and catch a ball that fell just short of him. With Jacks able to fill in for three overs, MI did not need to replace Karn with a bowler, which left them with the option of bringing on Rohit Sharma as their Impact Player at the start of their chase. Jacks’ overs also allowed MI to use Mitchell Santner’s left-arm spin for only one over against a team with a high number of left-hand batters.That near-chance was the second time in three overs that a ball had not carried to Karn at midwicket. SRH’s top order had endured rough luck in their recent run of four straight defeats, and that luck changed when Abhishek’s scintillating hundred powered them to a successful chase of 246 in their last match against Punjab Kings. Luck continued to go SRH’s way at the start of this game, with Jacks dropping an edge off Abhishek off the first ball of the match, and Head later being caught off a no-ball.But the luck didn’t seem to help SRH’s scoring rate. When he was caught off that no-ball from Hardik in the 10th over, he was batting on 24 off 24 balls. He fell soon after for 28 off 29. Abhishek was a little more fluent, hitting seven fours in a 28-ball 40.Hardik broke the opening stand in the eighth over, getting Abhishek caught on the point boundary, right after enduring a major injury scare. He had seemed to hurt either his left shin or ankle in his follow-through after delivering the previous ball, and seemed to indicate to the MI dugout that he needed a substitute, but as it happened, he managed to dust himself off and continue bowling.

Former Glasgow Rangers manager Barry Ferguson has hinted at knowing who the problematic players are for Russell Martin at Ibrox currently, as he battles to save his job.

A must-win game for Russell Martin at Rangers

The Gers trade Scottish Premiership commitments for Scottish League Cup action on Saturday evening, with Hibernian making the trip to Ibrox for a quarter-final clash.

For Martin, it feels like a must-win game, with the 39-year-old under enormous pressure after a disastrous start to his time in charge of Rangers, not yet winning a league game.

Recent reports have suggested that the Englishman is safe as manager for now, but it surely can’t take many more bad results before a big decision is made by the board.

Potential replacements are already being mentioned, including Davide Ancelotti, who was one of the front-runners to come in during the summer, but Martin has spoken positively ahead of the Hibs match.

“We have the chance to be in the semi-final, and a step forward towards silverware. I want to see a team that plays with the togetherness and intensity I see at training.

“Very rarely do you arrive at a club when there is not a problem. At every club we have been at, there are tough moments, but the potential is huge for the group if we work through the difficult moments together.”

Ferguson makes Rangers dressing room claim

Writing for The Daily Record [via The Glasgow Times], Ferguson hinted at knowing who could be the problem players at Rangers for Martin, but didn’t want to go as far as naming names.

There is arguably a feeling that Martin has lost members of the dressing room, and when that happens, the writing can often be on the wall for a manager.

The Nicolas Raskin situation has stood out in that respect, with the midfielder being frozen out by the Gers boss until now, and it could be that he is one of the players Ferguson is referring to. Then again, he was a key man when the Scot was in charge, and is now back in the squad.

Rangers eyeing Ibrox move for ex-La Liga coach to replace Russell Martin

They’re already planning for life without Martin…

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Either way, Rangers simply must win this weekend, with a Scottish League Cup exit potentially the final nail in the coffin for Martin at Ibrox.

Following a seventh defeat in nine games in IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming traced their struggles back to the auction.”It is hard to say we got it completely right with the performances that we have had,” he said after CSK’s batting struggled once again to put up a decent total against Sunrisers Hyderabad. They were bowled out for 154 and lost by five wickets. “So we have been looking over that in detail just around our style of play. Also looking at how the game is evolving.Related

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“And it is not easy. And that is why we are proud of our record today. We have been able to be consistent for so long and it doesn’t take much for it to go another way. Other teams have got better and that is the point of the auction. But we just haven’t been able to get it right.”CSK had tried to compensate for that by using players outside of their usual roles, having Ravindra Jadeja bat up the order, using Shivam Dube as a finisher, trying R Ashwin in the powerplay and asking MS Dhoni to bat a lot longer than he is able to given he is 43 years old and his knees aren’t perfectly right.”So you take responsibility from the top down and then you just ask a little more of the players,” Fleming said. “But yeah, that has to be an area where we need to reflect and say it wasn’t as good as what it could have been or it hasn’t worked out how we wanted.”Stephen Fleming felt Dewald Brevis was ‘excellent’ on his CSK debut•PTI

CSK are at the bottom of the table on run-rates and boundaries hit and are near the top of the table on dot-ball percentage. They came into this game having used 20 of 27 players and here they handed Dewald Brevis a debut and pushed their youngest ever player, Ayush Mhatre, up to open the batting. Unlike in past seasons, when CSK assembled numerous champion teams filled with players with clearly defined roles, they have been unable to settle on a combination this season.”It is also not perfect science,” Fleming said. “The auction is a very fluid beast. It’s like buying [for] 25 hours and see it come away at the end of it mentally and sometimes physically exhausted. And to be fair, I still think we have got a good squad. We are not far away.”A couple of key injuries, just a bit of a lack of form. And we have just struggled really to nail a gameplan. We’ve chopped and changed too much. I think it was trying to look for something that perhaps we felt wasn’t there. So yeah, there is a lot of responsibility and soul-searching and it certainly starts with me at the top, 100%”There is a feeling that CSK are too set in their ways – preferring experienced players, structuring their innings to start slow and finish strong – and this season might be pushing them towards new ways of thinking.”I’m a believer that the game hasn’t evolved that much,” Fleming said. “So just trying to be smart and trying to be positive and give evidence that percentages still work. But all around there is a bit of chaos, isn’t there, with teams playing well [by targeting boundaries and playing high-risk shots]. And I think I said it in a grumpy interview a few weeks ago that we’ll see towards the end of the tournament which team will come through.’When they come to play for Chennai, one of the things they look forward to is being yellow in front of a yellow crowd’•AFP/Getty Images

“And it’s an intriguing watch to see settled sides and teams with younger sort of flair battling it out and watching the cream rise. And I will watch with interest to see towards the end what the highest run-scorers are and what teams are doing well, because that’s part of the reflection as you move forward.”Some of that has already begun. “We’ve tried to bolt things on all the time,” Fleming said. “I thought Brevis was excellent today [making 42 off 25]. Mhatre has been refreshing. We’ve given guys opportunities and that’s something that often doesn’t come along in an IPL. You don’t want it to come along. It’s an unwanted bonus. So we’ll work very hard on every game to try and find some more answers for next year.”A strong crowd turned up in Chennai once again, just as they have all around the country to watch CSK play even though they have been struggling this season.”Well, we are aware of the support and it is not just at home, it extends throughout India,” Fleming said “We understand the effect that MS Dhoni has with our support, but when we see the amount of yellow that turns up game after game, certainly here at Chepauk, but when we are around the country experiencing that, there is a responsibility that we feel and it is a heavy one. And to not reward that with performances weighs very heavy on the group.”When they come to play for Chennai, one of the things they look forward to is being yellow in front of a yellow crowd and to not perform up to our expectations, but more importantly the fans’ expectations, leaves us very empty.”

Mikel Merino was Spain's difference-maker as the Arsenal star scored two headed goals to fire La Roja to an emphatic 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over Bulgaria at the Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla. Debutant Atanas Chernev put through his own net to all but secure the result, before Mikel Oyarzabal struck home a stoppage-time penalty to round off the scoring. The result edges Spain closer to history, marking their 29th competitive game unbeaten – equalling the record of their world champion generation.

• Tell me more

  European champions Spain came into the game with an 100% record in qualifying, and it was easy to see why. La Roja took the game to their opponents from the very first whistle, with Barcelona midfield maestro Pedri at the centre of everything as Spain ripped through the heart of Bulgaria's defence.

  The 22-year-old found Alex Baena in behind on two occasions, the first of which saw an effort on goal flash over the crossbar, before the Barca star slid through young striker Samu Aghehowa. But Svetoslav Vutsov would stand in his way, as the goalkeeper stood strong to palm the ball clear. He would get the better of Aghehowa on a second occasion, this time with a powerful strike which he palmed over. 

  Pedri also tried to get in on the act, chipping the ball over Vutsov but seeing the ball rebound back off the crossbar. His next attempt would see the ball bounce agonisingly wide, as the Bulgarian goal lived more and more dangerously.

  Eventually, with 35 minutes on the clock, the deadlock was finally broken via Arsenal man Merino. It was a sight which is beginning to become a common one for Gunners fans, as the 29-year-old rose the highest to power the ball into the corner of the net. Pedri was involved again, as his clipped pass was headed into the centre by Robin Le Normand. The task was no easy one for Merino, but he finished emphatically.

  Goalscorer almost turned provider mere moments later, as a poor pass by Vutsov allowed Merino to play the ball into the waiting Aghehowa. The ball slightly behind him, the 21-year-old sliced wide, off balance when he probably should have been more composed.

  Spain had a massive 18 attempts on goal before half-time to Bulgaria's one, which was a good chance just before half-time, as Kiril Despodov raced through on goal but could only put the ball wide at the near post.

  The second half would be more of the same. Aghehowa was replaced at the break by Borja Iglesias, but the Celta Vigo striker would fare no better as he missed multiple presentable opportunities, placing a free header wide with Vutsov beaten.

  Merino would, once again, show his team-mates how it is done with another headed goal, this time from an Alex Grimaldo cross from the left. The goalkeeper will be disappointed he couldn't keep it out, but the power generated by the head of Merino was too much and the result was safe by the hour mark.

  The icing was put on the cake late on, first via the unfortunate boot of Chernev, before Oyarzabal emphatically converted from the spot to seal a comfortable Spanish victory.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  The MVP

  An honourable mention must go to Pedri, who ran the show in the first half and could have contributed to five goals on another day. But the evening undoubtedly belonged to Merino, who has struck six goals in four World Cup qualifying matches for Spain and is staking his claim to being a key part of Luis de la Fuente's squad for the World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada next summer. He might be disappointed not to have been given the chance to complete his hat-trick after winning the penalty in stoppage time.

  Merino has a true knack for scoring key goals at important moments, both for Spain and Arsenal, and particularly with his head. This match marked his ninth and tenth goals for Spain in 39 appearances, an outstanding record for a midfielder. Though it is not out of the question that he could be used as a make-shift striker too, if need be.

• The big loser

  Though Merino's clinical finishing won the day, this was whole-heartedly not an evening to be remembered for the strikers of both sides. Aghehowa should have scored at least once, probably twice, though he was making just his first international start and is still a young player. His half-time replacement, Iglesias, fared no better as he placed a gilt-edged header wide of the goal. Spain were ultimately fortunate that Merino was on such great form, or else their dominance may have come to nothing.

  At the other end, Despodov also had a poor day at the office as the Bulgaria striker missed two big opportunities, one in each half. He allowed Le Normand and Aymeric Laporte to catch him up when running through in the first half, putting the ball disappointingly wide. When given a later opportunity, he slid wide with only Unai Simon to beat.

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• Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

There was no major shuffle on Purple Cap table, which is led by Noor Ahmad

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-20252:02

‘A riled-up Kohli is bad news for the opposition’

Orange Cap tableRCB’s Virat Kohli and Mitchell Marsh of LSG got back into the top five and also crossed the 600-run mark in Lucknow. Asked to bat first, Marsh smashed a 37-ball 67 and was involved in a 152-run stand with his captain Rishabh Pant to help LSG post 227 for 3. It wasn’t enough though, as RCB chased it down with eight balls to spare and six wickets in hand. One of the key contributors for RCB was Kohli, who hit 54 off 30 balls to lay the foundation for Jitesh Sharma to take off.Marsh now sits at No.4 and he signed off the season with 627 runs while Kohli, who will be in action in the playoffs, is behind him at No. 5 with 602 runs.There was no change at the top with Gujarat Titans’ B Sai Sudharsan leading the table, followed by Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav of Mumbai Indians.Purple Cap tableWith Josh Hazlewood yet to play this IPL after recovering from his shoulder injury, there was no major shuffle on the Purple Cap table which is led by Noor Ahmad of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with 24 wickets. Behind him is GT’s Prasidh Krishna, with 23, and MI’s Trent Boult occupies the third with 19 wickets.Hazlewood remains fourth with 18 wickets and has a chance to move up when he plays in the playoffs.Here’s what ESPNcricinfo’s MVP table looks like.And here are some other IPL 2025 tables that show the season’s best performers in different aspects of the T20 game. Highest batting strike rates Best bowling economy rates Most sixes Best bowling figures in a match

Arsenal are braced for another Premier League title challenge with Liverpool, and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher suggests an emerging leader in their squad could be crucial.

Arsenal agree William Saliba deal in huge boost for Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta was boosted by the official announcement of a new deal for star defender William Saliba earlier this week.

The Frenchman, who’s been a vital component of Arsenal’s title-chasing side since the beginning of 2022/2023, was attracting serious interest from Real Madrid. Los Blancos even approached him in the summer window, but Saliba was clear that he wanted to remain at the Emirates Stadium (HandOfArsenal).

Appearances

5

Minutes played

319

Clean sheets

2

Tackles made

8

Interceptions

3

Ground duels won

24/34

Aerial duels won

12

Clearances

20

via Footy Stats

Saliba’s contract was due to expire in 2027, and sporting director Andrea Berta took a hands-on role in new contract negotiations as he eventually convinced the 24-year-old to agree fresh terms (Charles Watts).

Saliba’s new deal expires in 2030, committing him to Arsenal for another five years, with Berta praising the “incredible” defender after the Gunners confirmed his extension.

Arteta’s side take on Olympiacos in the Champions League tonight, with the Greek Super League champions travelling to North London and could face off against Arsenal’s newly-committed star in Saliba.

The France international is slowly being reintegrated into the starting eleven after recovering from an ankle injury, having started their 1-1 draw with Man City and Carabao Cup win over Port Vale, but was dropped to the bench for Arsenal’s dramatic victory at Newcastle.

Summer signing Cristhian Mosquera has seriously impressed whenever he’s asked to fill in for Saliba, and that is an avenue Arteta may well go down again in Europe tonight as he looks to avoid any more fitness issues with his star man.

Alongside Saliba, another defender has been vital to Arsenal’s success in recent years.

That man is, of course, Gabriel.

According to some reports, Saliba and Gabriel made a pact to remain at Arsenal and challenge for major silverware, with the Brazilian also signing a contract extension earlier this year.

Jamie Carragher admits he was wrong about Arsenal star Gabriel

He’s been just as crucial to Arsenal’s defensive prowess as Saliba, and their partnership is widely viewed as one of Europe’s best.

Largely thanks to the duo, Arteta’s men have conceded the fewest goals of any Premier League side in each of the last two seasons.

Gabriel’s threat from set pieces has also got Arsenal out of jail on numerous occasions, with the 27-year-old — after his winner against Newcastle — bagging more goals than any other defender in the Premier League since he made his debut in 2020 (18).

Speaking to Sky Sports (via The Metro), Carragher has made an admission about Gabriel in praise of the ex-Lille star — claiming he was wrong about Saliba being on another level to his centre-back partner.

The ex-Liverpool defender also praised Gabriel as an emerging leader in Arsenal’s side.

While Carragher has taken more time to hand Gabriel his well-deserved praise, the South American’s quality has never been lost on Arteta, who called the defender’s performances “undeniable” as far back as September last year.

With his job seemingly hanging by a threat, one managerial candidate is now reportedly a serious candidate to replace Russell Martin at Rangers.

Russell Martin Rangers sack update

Without a win in the Scottish Premiership in five attempts, the pressure is mounting on Martin at Ibrox. Reports have insisted that he still has the backing of the 49ers, but Martin admitted that there were a number of fans who didn’t want him at the club in the first place.

It has reached a stage where even attempts to enjoy a team bonding session at Loch Lomond have received a fair share of criticism. Simply put, Martin can currently do no right in Scotland.

Other reports have claimed that it will be game over if Martin fail to defeat Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup quarter-final this weekend. Defeat would make it six straight games without a win in all competitions and it would be hard to argue a case that the former Southampton manager should still be in charge.

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For the 49ers, it would be back to square one if they chose to sack the manager that they had so much faith in at the start of the summer. Whether one particular name would take the job would be the big question in the face of such a decision.

Gerrard now a serious option to replace Martin

In an unexpected turn of events, it could be out with the new and in with the old at Ibrox. According to TeamTalk, Steven Gerrard is now a serious option to replace Martin now that he is free from previous contractual issues from his time at Al-Ettifaq.

The emergence of the former Rangers boss comes after the news that Jose Mourinho is set to return to Benfica, rather than remain a candidate to join the Gers. The so-called ‘Special One’ was considered an option, but Rangers’ ability to reach his wage demands have often been questioned whenever those rumours have emerged.

So, the attention has gone back towards Gerrard. The 45-year-old remains the last Rangers manager to win a Scottish Premiership title, sealing victory in 2020/21, but will have some making up to do after ditching the club for Aston Villa midway through the campaign that followed.

That said, if the 49ers are looking for someone who knows how to transform Rangers into winners, then Gerrard is arguably their man ahead of the likes of Sean Dyche and Danny Rohl.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogochegou à pausa da Data Fifa com uma “folga” na liderança do Campeonato Brasileiro. Atualmente com 51 pontos, a equipe tem dez pontos de vantagem sobre o segundo colocado, que atualmente é o Palmeiras.

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A equipe, que nesta terça-feira (5) está de folga (veja o planejamento detalhado), lida com um desafio a mais nesta temporada de 2023.

+ Confira a tabela e a classificação do Brasileirão

+ Com tempo para trabalhar, Bruno Lage busca recalcular rota e fortalecer o lado direito do Botafogo

Em nenhuma edição dos pontos corridos, uma equipes que abriu 10 pontos na liderança após a 22ª viu o título escapar de suas mãos.

Isto, porém, não significa que outro clube possa ultrapassar o Alvinegro. A situação mais curiosa foi em 2008, quando o então líder Grêmio viu uma distância de 11 pontos do São Paulo se esvair e o clube paulista se sagrar campeão.

Despite slipping to a late defeat on the road at Crystal Palace on Saturday, Liverpool remain at the summit of the Premier League for the time being.

Arne Slot and Co had five straight league wins to thank for their table-topping position, but the concerning nature of their defeat at the hands of Oliver Glasner’s Palace will make those with connections to the Anfield giants worry about more crushing losses to come.

It’s too soon to be furiously pounding the panic button, but there will still be an uneasiness in the air surrounding Mohamed Salah’s poor performances of late, as the ageing winger now inevitably faces the winding down of his esteemed playing days.

Salah's poor performances in numbers

Staggeringly, if you remove his opening day strike against AFC Bournemouth from the equation, Salah only has a last-minute penalty against Burnley to shout about for his goalscoring efforts this season.

He does also have two assists next to his name, but it was a worryingly sub-par showing from the usually enigmatic Egyptian against the tough to break down Eagles, with Tyrick Mitchell managing to make the “world-class” ace – as he was once dubbed by Jurgen Klopp – look ordinary.

Salah was arguably lucky to last the full 90 minutes, with the lacklustre number 11 managing to complete none of his dribble attempts to try and catch out a resolute Palace defence, while also squandering two big chances to try and keep the Reds’ 100% record intact.

It does feel rather far-fetched that Salah will be dropped, though, even with these off-days popping up, but Slot will have one eye on the future now, surely, with the left-footed ace coming in at 33 years of age.

Thankfully, Liverpool do have some shiny starlets in the youth set-up who will be desperate to make more considerable strides in the first team picture soon, with one rising attacker maybe even aiming to become the next Salah in time.

Liverpool's up and coming Salah heir

When the day comes that Salah leaves Anfield behind, it will be an extremely tough task to try and instantly replace the Egyptian’s unmistakable star quality.

Despite visible chinks in his armour now appearing, Salah does boast an unbelievable 248 goals and 116 assists for the Reds, with two Premier League triumphs and a Champions League trophy lifted off the back of his blistering heroics.

Still, everybody has their day in the sun before they have to walk away, and with Liverpool already beginning to put the pieces together for a new-look attack with Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, and Florian Wirtz in through the door this summer, there could soon be a queue of candidates wanting to take over from the modern day icon as Liverpool’s electric spark down the flanks.

Rio Ngumoha might well fancy his chances at being a long-term successor to Salah’s throne, having already lit up the Premier League this season with a Salah-like moment of quality when breaking Newcastle United hearts with a last-gasp winner at St. James’ Park.

In the right place at the right time to smash home that decisive strike, the tricky 17-year-old also managed to complete one successful dribble, despite only being present on the Tyneside turf for eight minutes.

Having also scored and assisted for fun in pre-season for Slot’s men – with two goals and two assists registered against the likes of Athletic Bilbao and AC Milan – it does feel like only a matter of time before Nguhoma enters into the Dutchman’s first team plans and remains there.

The future is immensely bright for this talented teen, with his former youth coach in Saul Isaksson-Hurst even going as far as to say he could one day make the Ballon d’Or shortlist like Salah.

Nguhoma’s current moment in the spotlight at Anfield could have well been Chelsea’s own success story in an alternate reality, with the teenage sensation lining up nine times for the Chelsea U18s before moving to Merseyside.

Liverpool U18s

10

0 + 3

Chelsea U18s

9

1 + 1

Liverpool U21s

9

2 + 0

Liverpool first team

3

1 + 0

Liverpool youth league

6

0 + 1

Of course, Salah was also once let go of prematurely by the Blues, before turning into a world beater donning Liverpool red.

With a Salah-like directness present in his game, also making him “one of the best young wingers in Europe” according to Secret Scout, there is an unbelievable level of hype already surrounding the 17-year-old’s name.

It will be up to the England U19 international and those around him to ensure he is brave enough to ride these choppy upcoming waves, but a homegrown Salah potentially being in the works is an absurd thought.

Slot has found the new Nunez in Liverpool star who's "struggling" big time

Liverpool have problems to fix after suffering their first league defeat of the season at Crystal Palace.

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