Liverpool facing CRUCIAL decision over £30m-rated attacker

Mohamed Salah’s recent contract extension could end up having an adverse effect on one promising Liverpool youngster.

Ben Doak, 19, might well have seen himself as a natural successor to the Egyptian King. But with Salah tied to Liverpool until 2027 it looks like the Scotland teenager is now waiting for a breakthrough that may never come.

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Salah will be contracted as a Liverpool player until his 35th birthday. While the Reds may set in motion a succession plan over the next couple of years, they aren’t paying Salah £400,00 per week to wind down.

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He will play whenever he is fit and available, with contenders to replace Salah restricted to EFL Cup matches, the Africa Cup of Nations period or minutes towards the end of games.

Federico Chiesa was signed to be a relief pitcher for Salah this season but has utterly failed in the role. Salah has started every single Premier League game - delivering over 50 goal involvements - and the Italian has barely played half an hour.

That shows the dominant effect Salah still has on this Liverpool team.

Doak's impressive season on loan

Sporting director Richard Hughes has no doubt calculated that Salah’s output will remain high over the next couple of years - playing a less burdensome defensive game and being asked to contribute solely as a creator and finisher.

For someone like Doak, the new contract is a missed opportunity. And Liverpool now have a massive decision to make over the Scotland international in a crucial summer.

Having fielded bids in January - from Ipswich and Crystal Palace - the club opted not to sell. He was fit and firing on all cylinders at Middlesbrough - on loan in the Championship - and his value was sky-high.

Doak has delivered seven assists and three goals in the second tier this season - and also enjoyed a terrific outing for the Tartan Army against Croatia and Josko Gvardiol.

The Reds wanted £30m or thereabouts for Doak and no such bid materialised. With Liverpool declining the opportunity to cash in for anything less, however, they took a risk.

Sacrifice Doak for new signings?

Would Doak end up performing at the same high level all the way through to the end of the season? And would more bids come in? It hasn’t quite worked out like that.

Doak - not for the first time - has suffered a big injury. He hasn’t played since February and Boro manager Michael Carrick has confirmed that his successful loan spell is now over.

The wide-man will return to Liverpool to recuperate and may even be taken on tour under Arne Slot having played four times in pre-season ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

But once Doak recovers Liverpool will need to decide what to do next.

It’s no secret that the club tend to operate on a “one out, one in” basis in the transfer market and a bid of over £20m would come in very handy in the pursuit of Rayan Cherki - for example.

Or does Slot see Doak as a contender for Salah’s place in the team over the next couple of years and beyond? Given the frequent links to other teams - a list now including Everton and Bournemouth - and the club’s apparent willingness to sell it’s hard to see.

Liverpool could seek to sell Doak this summer

He has resembled Salah at times this season; those frequent little touches as he dribbles, the drop of the shoulder. There was even one stunning left-footed goal after coming inside.

He’s not quite at the level to push Salah immediately but is good enough to persist with - given his strengths. But the club might not see it that way.

Salah is secure, new attackers are probably on their way. Given they paid Celtic only £600k for him back in 2022 and is now being touted for a move at 50 times that price, it makes sense to find a buyer.

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However, Doak is going to have to get fit and stay fit before any decision can be made. In pre-season the winger is not likely to be auditioning for a place in Arne Slot’s first-team squad; he will be putting himself in the shop window.