Does he stay, or does he go now?
The question lingers surrounding Mohamed Salah's future at Liverpool, with intense interest from Saudi Arabia seemingly set to be renewed in the Egyptian genius this summer, amid his expiring contract.
With just 12 months left to run on his current deal, the 32-year-old may be nearing the end of what has been a simply sensational stint on Merseyside, firmly quashing the early doubters with 300 goals and assists in just 349 games in all competitions.
A run of just three goals in the final 11 Premier League games of the 2023/24 campaign may have sparked rare criticism – the former Roma man even harshly dubbed a "fair-weather player" by the typically brazen Simon Jordan – yet the winger's return of 25 goals and 14 assists in all competitions is nothing to be sniffed.
Perhaps not now truly at his peak, yet if Salah is to depart any time soon then he will certainly leave a sizeable void for new boss Arne Slot to fill – hence the club's apparent interest in an exciting, dream successor on the right flank.
Liverpool in the race for Brazilian wonderkid
According to TEAMtalk, the Merseysiders are deemed to be among the clubs who are interested in signing Brazilian teenager, Luis Guilherme, with the Reds said to have 'watched his progress carefully' in recent times.
The report outlines that as many as six Premier League clubs have sent scouts to watch the 18-year-old in action for Palmerias over the last 12 months, with the expectation that he will follow in the footsteps of Endrick and Estevao Willian – the pair set to join Real Madrid and Chelsea, respectively.
Much like that duo, Guilherme won't come cheap if Liverpool are to secure a move this summer, with the youngster reportedly set to fetch around £40m. A potential sticking point may also be West Ham United's interest, with the Hammers already said to be in talks regarding a deal – as per Fabrizio Romano.
How Luis Guilherme could fit in under Slot
It may be something of a leap to suggest that Guilherme can fill the shoes of Salah any time soon, although the hope would be that he could eventually solidify a starting berth for himself on the flanks in the years to come.
As data analyst Ben Mattinson has suggested, the in-demand talent "doesn't have the hype" of the aforementioned Endrick and 'Messinho', yet he does still "have the world at his feet", having shown flashes of his quality in recent times.
A tally of one goal and one assist in 44 games at senior level does not represent the most eye-catching of returns, yet it is the winger's speed and trickery that has allowed him to standout, having been lauded for the way he can "fool defenders" by Mattinson.
A left-footer who typically operates off the right – much like Salah – the suggestion is that Guilherme would represent a perfect fit for Slot's system, even despite his youth, with Mattinson noting:
"In Arne Slot’s 4-2-3-1 (same as Palmeiras), he could cover RW, AM, LW. At Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar. Arne Slot used Calvin Stengs as a AM/RW hybrid which would suit Luis Guilherme very well."
Metric
Stat per 90
Percentile rank*
Non-penalty goals
0.10
Bottom 13%
Assists
0.10
Bottom 23%
Shot-creating actions
5.84
Top 4%
Pass completion
76.5%
Top 30%
Progressive carries
5.94
Top 2%
Successful take-ons
3.13
Top 6%
Tackles
0.83
Bottom 17%
Interceptions
0.73
Top 17%
Aerial duels won
0.68
Top 32%
*Rank among wingers in comparative leagues to Brazilian top-flight
Seemingly a "good fit" for the Anfield outfit, the raw starlet could be just another young talent for Slot to nurture and develop – the Dutchman notably handing a prominent role to Newcastle United loanee Yankuba Minteh this season at Feyenoord, with the 19-year-old chalking up 16 goals and assists in the Eredivisie from the right flank.
Unafraid to put his trust in youth, Slot could be the perfect figure to help Guilherme realise his potential, with the challenge now attempting to steal a march on Julen Lopetegui and West Ham in the battle for his signature.
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