One of Liverpool’s most difficult future dilemmas will be how to replace one of the club’s all-time greats. Mohamed Salah has already established legendary status on Merseyside, and rather than looking for a replacement when he leaves, the Reds should already be looking at potential future successors.
But replacing one of the best players in the world isn’t easy. Brentford manager Thomas Frank spoke of Salah’s class after his brace against Brentford in the recent 3-0 Premier League win, placing the Egyptian inside the world’s top three.
While it looks like Salah will play at the top level for a few years yet, Liverpool could still work to find a long-term successor. And Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo could be the best current option.
Currently, Ben Doak has been utilized in games when Salah is rested. Doak looks to be an excellent player for the future, but as seen with the best squads in Europe, strength-in-depth is vital to maintain dominance at the highest level.
Kubo, who is also an international teammate of Wataru Endō, has been impressive this season, and he has also been a standout performer in difficult games for Real Sociedad against the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid. Six direct goal contributions across all competitions in 14 starts from the right flank is a respectable return for the 22-year-old, who has produced a range of finishes this season.
FBref outlines that he is one of the best-performing wingers in the world in terms of progressive carries and successful take-ons, both categories in which he is ranked among the top one percentile, providing the foundation for a world-class manager like Jürgen Klopp to take his game to the next level in terms of production.
