Mohamed Salah looks set to stay at Liverpool. Until recently, the thought of him departing was still an unpalatable thought for many supporters.

His dip in form since returning from injury and the recent outburst on the sidelines with Jürgen Klopp have perhaps changed one or two opinions though. Nevertheless, according to The Athletic, the club is expecting him to stay put next season.

Whether he will stay beyond that though is anyone's guess at the moment. Incoming Liverpool boss Arne Slot will no doubt have a decision to make at some point on Salah, especially if the big-money offers start rolling in again.

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Salah seems to be the biggest star on the Saudi transfer radar. As one of the best players in the world, his arrival would be another significant turning point in the league’s development.

However, Liverpool resisted offers last summer, and it looks set to do the same this time around. That being said, his contract does run out in 2025, meaning another big decision is on the horizon. This Liverpool side is building for the future and there is no guarantee that the Egyptian, who turns 32 next month, will play a lasting role in that future vision.

Players can be replaced effectively and Liverpool has done well to do just that over the last 12 to 18 months at Anfield. It has found Roberto Firmino’s heir in Cody Gakpo, and Sadio Mané’s in Luis Díaz.

For Salah, the equivalent might be Takefusa Kubo. Explosive on the ball and diminutive just like Salah, the way Kubo runs and scores goals has shades of Liverpool’s number 11 about him.

The Japan international is being linked with Anfield, with 'Sam C Reports', citing a source, claiming Liverpool holds an interest. He further suggests that there is a release clause set at $65m (£51m/€60m).

Like Salah, Kubo is left-footed but prefers to play on the right and cut inside to his left foot. Like Salah, Kubo excels in one vs one situations and is excellent in tight spaces. Having been rated as a 'wonderkid' from a very young age and spent time at both Barcelona and Real Madrid, Kubo is still only 22.

Like Salah, who didn’t make the grade at Chelsea initially, it has taken him a bit of time to establish himself in European football, with neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid truly working out. But after a solid campaign last season at Real Sociedad, he has notched seven goals and three assists in 26 La Liga outings this season.

Arguably though, one of the most impressive aspects about Kubo as well as his goal-scoring and offensive threat is his work rate.

This season he’s made 85 recoveries in La Liga, as per FBref. That ranks him among some of the best attackers in the league for the metric. For reference, it’s also more than all but one of Liverpool's attackers this season, with Luis Díaz the only one to beat him with 116 recoveries.

Jürgen Klopp may be leaving, but Arne Slot looks to be coming in to follow a similar path, and Kubo looks as though he could be the ideal heir to the Salah’s throne at Anfield. Barcelona and Real Madrid's loss could be a major gain on Merseyside.

An original version of this article was first published on October 2, 2023. It has since been updated.