Replacing Mohamed Salah isn’t an easy task, but it is one Liverpool face this summer.
The Egyptian King is moving on after almost a decade at Anfield and the time has come to replace him.
Several potential heirs to Salah’s throne have been spoken about this season, but the 33-year-old's announcement that he would be leaving sent the rumour mill into overdrive.
Yan Diomande is one of the most talked about players that could fill the gap left by Salah at Anfield, but his current employers are desperate not to lose their teenage sensation.
A new deal could be coming Diomande’s way, and that could have big repercussions for the Reds.
News that RB Leipzig will try their best to keep Diomande at the club for another season isn’t new, a new contract has been discussed before, but the most recent update from Fabrizio Romano includes a caveat that could be crucial for Liverpool.
Romano confirmed on Sunday that Leipzig were going to offer a longer contract with improved wages but also added that a release clause was being considered.
Previous reports from Germany had claimed that the new deal may not include a release clause, leaving the club in full control of Diomande’s price tag.
The inclusion of a release clause could be great news for Liverpool in the long-term, but Diomande signing a new deal could see him stay in Germany for another season.
Liverpool may have already replaced Salah’s output with Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, but someone will have to be added to fill Salah’s space in the team.
Diomande could be that player, but Liverpool’s poor run of form could encourage the teenager to wait another year before making a move away from the Bundesliga.
Romano did add that the player will likely listen to bids in the summer before he decides his future, leaving the door open to a move, but a deal for Diomande no longer looks as straightforward as it once did.
