Who will be Liverpool's new No11? Ranking the contenders

Liverpool have got a hell of a job on their hands replacing Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian King has swept the board of individual honours, scored 255 goals and most importantly led the Reds to a whole host of trophies. It’s been the Mo Salah era over the course of the last nine years; players like the 33-year-old don’t come along every day.

The decision-makers at Anfield will be putting a lot of thought into who comes into the club as a new starting right-wing option.

We shouldn’t expect superstar numbers - at least straight away - as Salah proved to be out of this world in most of his Liverpool seasons. But no matter who comes in there is another key choice facing Liverpool in the off-season.

Just who will get Salah’s fabled No11 shirt? It must be said that the shirt number has a chequered history - and Salah is Liverpool’s only “iconic” player in the Premier League era to sport that number.

Roberto Firmino had it before him and it was actually vacant for a while after Oussama Assaidi left the club. But Salah has redefined what it means to be Liverpool’s No11 and the shirt will weigh heavily on any successor.

Will it be Ekitike?

Hugo Ekitike

This may be the natural choice. Ekitike, 23, wore 11 during his time at Eintracht Frankfurt and seems to have a taste for palindromic numbers to match his name, following spells with 44 (PSG), 33 (Reims), and 22 (Reims and Liverpool).

It would also be fitting that the Reds’ top goalscorer for this season was offered the chance to take over in a literal sense from their top scorer from every other season Salah has been at the club.

Liverpool also have a habit of promoting important players with higher squad numbers to old-school 1-11 numbers. Alisson, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Sadio Mane had higher numbers when they arrived before settling into team numbers.

Or what about Rio?

Rio Ngumoha

Alternatively the club could revisit another old habit - moving academy players up towards team numbers. And in that regard there can be no more fitting candidate than Rio Ngumoha.

The 17-year-old currently wears 73 and has featured plenty for Arne Slot in his first senior professional season. He is surely set for a bigger role next term.

Liverpool prospects who have moved from squad numbers to team numbers in the past include legends like Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen.

More recently the likes of Curtis Jones and Conor Bradley have moved towards team numbers - although they are yet to reach the promised land of a 1-11 number.

Ngumoha looks set for a sparkling future on Merseyside given his age and talent. Why not let him inherit Salah’s famous number?

Maybe Morrison?

Kieran Morrison

This one would be perhaps more of a stylistic fit. Morrison has established himself at Premier League 2 and UEFA Youth League level this season and looks to have largely outgrown age-group football.

Aged 19 Morrison has found a home as a right-sided left-footed attacker. While he is a little slower and more deliberate in his play than Salah - think playmaker rather than finisher - he certainly has the capability to step into the first-team picture.

Morrison currently wears 68 - a number which highlights how far from the first-team he appeared last season. But having impressed his coaches at U21 this season he is set for a permanent promotion to the first-team picture as of next term.

11 might look good on Morrison.

Jarrod Bowen or Olise?

A new signing

Alternatively Liverpool might well save the number for a new player who arrives. Liverpool have been linked with several wingers to come in and replace Salah.

We’ve seen the names of Michael Olise and Yan Diomande linked prominently. And other names out there include Premier League options like Harry Wilson, Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon.

Perhaps the No11 shirt can be reserved for a new face - giving them a huge legacy to live up to.

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