There's a reason Mohamed Salah starts virtually every match for Liverpool, and it goes beyond pure ability. Jurgen Klopp has five elite offensive options to use at Anfield yet virtually every week, it is Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino who rotate among each other.
Unlike his four attacking teammates, Salah is crucially left-footed. With the exception of Harvey Elliott and Kaide Gordon - both of whom are teenagers - he is the only Liverpool player in midfield and attack who prefers to use his left foot ahead of his right.
As a result, he is arguably the most difficult to replace in terms of the dynamic that he adds when he's on the field. Left-footed forwards who are quick, goal-orientated and capable of reaching a high ceiling aren't particularly common, although the Reds will come up against one in their next match.
READ MORE: FSG behind the scenes move gives Liverpool best chance of keeping Mohamed Salah
READ MORE: Liverpool shirt sponsorship latest as Standard Chartered option emerges for FSG
Klopp's outfit are scheduled to face Villarreal in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday night. Unai Emery's men are likely to rely upon counter-attacking in order to cause problems at Anfield, with Samuel Chukwueze regarded as one of their emerging talent.
The Nigerian forward was rumoured to be on Liverpool's radar some years ago. He is left-footed - much like Salah - and remains just 22 years old, which suggests that a future move to England should not be ruled out.
Chukwueze is fast, likes to dribble, and he's scored 14 goals in La Liga since making his debut in 2018/19, while registering a further nine assists.
Only three players who have played at least 1,000 minutes across Europe's top five leagues this season average more completed dribbles on a per-90 basis than Chukwueze: Adama Traore, Allan Saint-Maximin and Kamaldeen Sulemana.
He's started just eight matches in the Spanish top-flight this season, but he's got time on his side to evolve and against Bayern Munich in the last round of the competition, he scored the winning goal to send Villarreal through.
Arnaut Danjuma is another one of Emery's players who has been tipped for a transfer to Merseyside of late, although he's right-footed and 25 years old which suggests that a move is less likely. Chukwueze, by contrast, could improve significantly by the time he reaches the same age.
He has an interesting skill set, although he still appears relatively far away from reaching Liverpool standard. Based on the recent offensive signings made by the Reds, the Nigerian international would have to play more often while also boosting his output in the final third.
If, over time, Chukwueze can demonstrate a more consistent level of performance in terms of starts and end product, he could wind up as a potential heir to Salah's throne further down the line.
This Wednesday, however, he'll be coming up against the real thing.
