Troy Deeney CLAIMS Liverpool have ALREADY signed Mohamed Salah's replacement

Ever since Mo Salah reached a place where he was not only one of Liverpool’s best players ever but one of the Premier League’s best ever, a question has loomed over him - what happens when he leaves?

A talisman leaving is never a pleasant idea and especially one as influential, talented and unique as the Egyptian. 

As with any of the greats who are uttered in the same breath - Henry, Shearer, Rooney - replacement is a seemingly nigh-on impossible task. However, Liverpool might just be in luck.

Read more: Father of Liverpool star Luis Diaz FORGIVES family friend at centre of kidnap plot

The call is coming from inside the house

In his Team of the Week column for BBC Sport, former Watford icon Troy Deeney has stated that Liverpool’s dynamic left-winger Luis Diaz could be the man to take the baton from Salah when the time comes.

‘I appreciate this is a massive statement’ Deeney writes, ‘but [this week] made me think if Liverpool do let Mohamed Salah go, [Diaz] could take over as the main man.’

‘He was excellent, left foot, right foot. He ran short and ran long.’ Deeney continues, ‘His enthusiasm to play football was brilliant and both his goals were unbelievable as well.’

Deeney is right in saying that it is a massive statement. Diaz, for as good as he is, has yet to show that he can consistently play at the same level as Salah. In Salah’s now-iconic first season for Liverpool, he recorded a league-high 32 goals in 36 games, bagging 44 in all competitions. He has followed this up with three more 20+ goal seasons and has never scored less than 18 for Liverpool in the league.

Diaz joined Liverpool in January 2022 and then missed 31 games to a knee injury in the 2022/23 season, meaning he only scored eight goals in his first 30 Premier League games. Last season - his first full, uninterrupted season on Merseyside - he notched eight goals in 37 league games, and 13 goals in all competitions. 

At 27 years old, Diaz is entering what is typically deemed a football player’s ‘prime’ - an age by which Salah already had 71 goals for the Reds. So if there was ever a season for Deeney’s claim to come true, this would be it.

Interestingly, then, Luis Diaz has started the season in red hot form. Five goals in five Premier League games - including braces at Old Trafford and against Bournemouth this past weekend - put him top in the Premier League’s non-Erling Haaland scoring chart. The Colombian has already beaten two of his previous Premier League season totals and is over half way to his best ever domestic return. His finishing has been lethal, his dribbling electric, his off-ball running inspired. 

It doesn’t bare thinking about a Salah-less world. Before this season's contract negotiation saga we thought it would never happen. But if Lucho can keep up this form, Reds might just be in luck.

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