Slot’s “machine” appears like a brand new Salah-type participant for Liverpool

Who’s Liverpool‘s star ahead? Is it nonetheless Mohamed Salah?

Solely in Could was the 33-year-old handed many particular person awards to surmount his group triumph with Liverpool. For his defining function in Arne Slot‘s triumphant debut marketing campaign, Salah has put to relaxation any doubts that he is likely one of the biggest gamers in Premier League historical past.

However even Salah will in the future retire, and his begin to the 2025/26 marketing campaign has dropped at thoughts the issues that he has handed his prime and is a part of the issue Slot is wrestling with, Liverpool having misplaced three in a row this season and missing any of the fluency and zip on present for many of final season.

Provided that the Egyptian King signed a brand new two-year contract on Merseyside in April, it is clear that he and FSG really feel that this story will not be but over, however sporting director Richard Hughes has nonetheless added high quality to Liverpool’s attacking ranks, with Alexander Isak the showpiece.

Why Liverpool signed Alexander Isak

For 9 years, Liverpool have boasted Salah as their star goalscorer, however the record-breaking addition of Isak from Newcastle United on switch deadline day underscores a shifting of the plates at Anfield. The stability of offensive energy has swung.

Final season, Isak scored 27 targets throughout all competitions for Newcastle. He scored what proved the decisive second strike in a 2-1 win over Slot’s Reds at Wembley in March. It was there that he lifted the Carabao Cup.

Many attacking departures this summer season led to FSG deciding to interrupt the financial institution for a striker already established as the most effective within the enterprise. Isak, now, might be anticipated to provide the products over a few years to spearhead a trophy-laden chapter.

Salah, Liverpool’s adopted son. However he is getting outdated, and may he get well that very same giddy stage of 2024/25, it’s certain to be a short-lived factor when seen towards the potential of a few of his Liverpool teammates.

Like Isak. The Sweden worldwide is 26 years outdated and totally settled into his Premier League profession. Already, he has been described by pundit Ally McCoist as being “the very best all-round centre-forward” in England.

Nonetheless, he is not Salah. As an alternative, Liverpool would possibly discover one other inside their ranks to look extra just like the pure substitute for the £400k-per-week famous person, albeit not fairly positionally.

Slot’s personal Salah-type signing

When Salah first arrived at Liverpool, he arrived below scrutiny. Scroll by the archives and one can find loads of criticism when Jurgen Klopp oversaw a £34m buy of Roma winger Salah, previously of Chelsea, the place he did not impress.

However 9 years later, he’s a Liverpool legend, having received greater than his share of silverware and scored greater than his share of targets.

With Salah now winding down, Hugo Ekitike might step up as the brand new model of the talisman, with some fascinating parallels between the 2.

Having joined the membership from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer season for an preliminary £69m payment, Liverpool felt that they had signed one of many most interesting younger forwards within the enterprise. Certainly, expertise scout Jacek Kulig mentioned of the Frenchman throughout his days with Eintracht Frankfurt: “He might undoubtedly attain world-class striker ranges.”

However that is a giant some for a 23-year-old who had beforehand struggled at a giant membership. Earlier than transferring to Germany, Ekitike had swapped Reims in his homeland for the Paris Saint-Germain superpower, arriving in July 2022 for a €35m (about £30.5m) payment.

However, described as a “objective machine” by Liverpool correspondent David Lynch, Liverpool have landed themselves a much more full and primed verison.

4 targets had been all he scored within the French capital, having performed 33 matches. That is considerably much like Salah’s return at Chelsea, posting two targets and three assists for the Blues earlier than being bought to Roma.

Liverpool’s scouting group have lengthy recognized their stuff, although, and Ekitike’s underlying knowledge is a factor to behold. In truth, taking a look at his efficiency throughout the previous yr, it is laborious to differentiate the up-and-comer from the mighty Isak, which is a towering testomony to his high quality.

There’s not quite a bit to separate the 2. Isak is the extra refined and efficient goalscorer, however Ekitike is extra full and aggressive when on the ball, and higher along with his head in addition to.

These are uncommon breeds of centre-forward, and Liverpool now have frontmen with the standard to take the reins from Salah over the following couple of years and lead Slot’s aspect to extra glory. Isak is a product of a number of years of profitable growth within the Premier League, however Ekitike is aware of what it is prefer to fall by the wayside at one of many continent’s greatest hitters, and he shares that with Salah.

With 5 targets and an help throughout his first ten matches as a Liverpool striker, Ekitike has began life as a Pink on sturdy footing. Salah did too, breaking the report for targets in a 38-game Premier League marketing campaign when he first returned to English shores.

Whether or not Ekitike will fairly obtain the identical diploma of success is debatable, to make certain, however the reality stays that Liverpool have pulled off some distinctive enterprise this summer season, and whereas FSG should flip towards figuring out a successor on the precise wing within the coming home windows, Salah’s proverbial inheritor has been situated and welcomed within the type of Ekitike.

He’s set for the highest.