Jurgen Klopp put the Premier League and Europe's elite on notice when he warned Mohamed Salah's best years at Liverpool are still to come.

Superstar forward Salah has ended speculation about his short-term future by signing a three-year contract with the Reds, news that manager Klopp said "makes me smile thinking about it".

It means there is no danger of the Egyptian walking away as a free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season, and with the deal agreed before the start of the new campaign, there should be no more distractions when it comes to the 30-year-old's future.

Salah has had five successful seasons at Anfield already, helping Liverpool win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Inevitably, this had drawn admiring glances from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

His arrival from Roma has been one of the best pieces of business during Klopp's reign, and now Salah is staying around to spearhead the push for more success.

Klopp said he was "really pleased – really, really pleased", adding: "It's the best decision for us and best decision for him. He belongs with us, I think. This is his club now.

"I have no doubt Mo's best years are still to come. And that's saying something, because the first five seasons here have been the stuff of legend."

Speaking to Liverpool's official website, Klopp raved about the physical power of Salah, an often overlooked aspect of his game. His silky skills and finishing prowess grab the focus, with Salah scoring 31 goals and adding 15 assists in 51 games last season.

However, Klopp said: "Fitness-wise, he's a machine – in the most incredible shape. He works hard on it, and he gets his rewards. His ability and his skill level gets higher each season, and his decision-making has gone to another level also.

"He is adored by his team-mates. As coaches, we know we work with someone special. And the supporters have crowned him a king. So, very cool.

"It is just great news. It makes me smile thinking about it. He stays with us for longer, and it means we can achieve more together."

Liverpool fell agonisingly short of an unprecedented quadruple last season, winning the FA Cup and EFL Cup before losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League final and being denied the Premier League title by Manchester City on a dramatic final day of that campaign.

All the time, doubts lingered over whether Salah would make a long-term commitment to Liverpool, or whether he might soon move on.

"Of course it has taken a little time," said Klopp, "but that's absolutely okay, and the best things are always worth waiting for anyway.

"Mo is one of the best players in the world; it's only normal there are things to sort when you are at his level."

Klopp said sporting director Julian Ward and Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon deserved "big credit" for getting the deal over the line.

"This is a special treat for our supporters to enjoy their weekend even more," said Liverpool's German manager. "I'm sure there will be some celebrations for this news tonight."

Mohamed Salah committed his long-term future to Liverpool on Friday by signing a new three-year deal.

The Egypt international was due to be out of contract at the end of the upcoming season, leading to strong links with a move away from Anfield.

However, out of the blue, Salah has penned an extension to – temporarily, at least – bring an end to speculation over his future.

After losing Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich, albeit with Darwin Nunez signed as a replacement of sorts, tying down Salah is a major boost for Liverpool ahead of the new season.

Here, Stats Perform looks at just how important Salah has been for Liverpool over the past five years, and how his record compares to Europe's other elite attackers.

ALREADY AMONG LIVERPOOL GREATS

It is difficult to remember now, but Salah's arrival from Roma in a deal rising to £43million raised more than a few eyebrows due to his disappointing earlier spell with Chelsea.

Six major honours later, including one as a key part in the club's first Premier League title triumph, and Salah will go down as one of Liverpool's all-time greats.

The 30-year-old has made 254 appearances for the Reds in total, 235 of those being starts, and has scored 156 goals while assisting 58 more.

Those 156 goals rank him ninth on the list of Liverpool's record scorers, with considerable ground to make up on Ian Rush at the top of that list with 346 goals.

CLOSING IN ON GERRARD RECORD

Salah might struggle to overhaul Rush, but he will also have another record in his sights when the 2022-23 campaign gets up and running next month.

With 164 direct goal involvements in the Premier League, Salah trails only Steven Gerrard (212) among Reds players in the competition in that regard.

Indeed, only two players from Europe's top five leagues have scored and assisted more goals across the same period – Robert Lewandowski (184) and Lionel Messi (200).

Kylian Mbappe, seen by many as the most desirable player in world football, is fourth on that list on 163 goal involvements, while Ciro Immobile is fifth with 159.

PREMIER LEAGUE PEDIGREE

Salah has scored 118 goals for Liverpool in the Premier League alone, which is 13 more than next-best Harry Kane among all clubs since the start of the 2017-18 season.

Those strikes have helped Salah to three Golden Boot awards – only Arsenal legend Thierry Henry (4) has finished top of the competition's scoring charts more often.

The former Basel forward also ranks top for minutes per goal among those to have played at least 100 times (126 minutes per goal), shots (678) and touches in the opposition box (1,575).

However, one metric he does not lead is assists, with Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne boasting 58 to Salah's 46.

MORE TO COME FROM MO

Salah's output has been consistent across his five years at Anfield, starting between 45 and 49 games a season and registering double figures for assists in all but one of those campaigns.

He has remained a prolific scorer throughout, with a high of 44 goals in the 2017-18 season and a low – but still respectable – 23 in the 2019-20 campaign. The latter was the season when Liverpool won the Premier League.

The Al Mokawloon youth product has managed 31 goals in each of the past two seasons, while the 15 assists registered last season was a career-high.

All that suggests Salah is far from finished on Merseyside, and with a new three-year deal signed, Liverpool fans have plenty more to look forward to from their 'Egyptian king'.

Mohamed Salah landed a bumper new contract through to 2025 and vowed to repay Liverpool's belief in him by firing Jurgen Klopp's Reds to more trophies.

Uncertainty over the Egyptian forward's future had lingered for months, with no clear sign of a breakthrough in negotiations between the club and the player's representatives until a deal was announced on Friday.

With Sadio Mane being allowed to leave for Bayern Munich since the end of last season, the importance of securing Salah was ramped up, and now the 30-year-old has confirmed he will stay at Anfield.

He could have walked away at the end of the 2022-23 season on a free transfer, had he not agreed to new terms, but that worrying prospect has been quashed.

With at least three years more to come of his Anfield career, Salah is convinced he and Liverpool can enjoy huge success in that time.

They threatened a quadruple last term before just missing out to Manchester City in the Premier League title race and losing 1-0 to Real Madrid in the Champions League final, having already pouched the FA Cup and EFL Cup.

Salah said of his new deal: "It takes a little bit of time, I think, to renew, but now everything is done so we just need to focus on what’s next.

"I think you can see in the last five or six years the team was always going [upwards]. Last season we were close to winning four, but unfortunately in the last week of the season we lost two trophies.

"I think we are in a good position to fight for everything. We have new signings as well. We just need to keep working hard, have a good vision, be positive and go for everything again."

In an interview for Liverpool's official website, Salah spoke of the departure of Mane to the Bundesliga and the arrival of Uruguayan frontman Darwin Nunez from Benfica, as manager Jurgen Klopp shuffles his pack.

"I'm so excited, I want to play with him," Salah said of Nunez. "He had a good season last season and played well against us home and away [in the Champions League].

"Sadio's leaving, and I'm going to miss him, he had great seasons with the club, so I wish him all the best, and I wish Darwin also all the best to score many goals for us."

Salah had a stellar 2021-22 campaign, finishing level with Tottenham's Son Heung-min in the race to be the Premier League's top scorer, while also managing the most assists in the competition, racking up 13 to finish one ahead of team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold.

It was the third time that Salah has won the Premier League's Golden Boot, having also been top scorer in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 campaigns.

He won the FWA Footballer of the Year and the PFA Players' Player of the Year awards, and taking all competitions into account finished the campaign with 31 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances, creating 87 scoring chances.

Across his five-season Liverpool career to date, Salah has managed 118 Premier League goals, at an average of one every 126 minutes, a league-best for players who have played at least 100 games in that time.

Salah had been linked with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but Friday's announcement means the former Roma and Chelsea forward's stint with Liverpool is far from over, as he prepares for a sixth season with the Reds.

In a message to supporters, Salah said Liverpool would "try to win all the trophies" in the new campaign.

Mohamed Salah has ended speculation over his future by signing a new long-term contract with Liverpool.

The Egypt forward only had a year remaining on his previous deal with the Reds and could have departed as a free agent after the 2022-23 season.

Liverpool on Friday revealed Salah has agreed to extend his successful stay at Anfield until 2025.

The 30-year-old helped the Reds win the FA Cup and EFL Cup last season, while they also reached the Champions League final and finished second in the Premier League.

He finished level with Son Heung-min as the Premier League's top scorer in the 2021-22 campaign, but his Liverpool future appeared to be in the balance as negotiations over a new deal dragged on.

Salah's decision to remain on Merseyside is a huge boost for Jurgen Klopp’s side after the departure of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich.

He told Liverpool's official website: "I feel great and [I am] excited to win trophies with the club. It’s a happy day for everyone."

Salah scored 31 goals and provided 15 assists in 51 appearances for the Reds last season.

He scored 23 of those goals in the top flight as Liverpool pushed Manchester City all the way in the title race, only missing out on the final day when Pep Guardiola's team came from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa and regain the trophy.

Salah had been linked with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but his stint with Liverpool is far from over, as he prepares for a sixth season with the Reds, having arrived from Roma in 2017.

Mohamed Salah has ended speculation over his future by signing a new long-term contract with Liverpool.

Liverpool have reportedly placed a £60million price tag on star Mohamed Salah after it became clear he is unlikely to remain with the club when his contract expires at the end of the upcoming season.

Salah arrived at Anfield in 2017 in a £36.5m move from Roma and during his time with the Reds he has become one of the best players in the world.

In his five Premier League seasons, Salah has tallied 118 goals and 50 assists in 180 games, been named PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, collected three Premier League Golden Boots and won the Puskas Award in 2018.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL LOOK TO CASH IN BEFORE SALAH WALKS FOR NOTHING

Liverpool have long since been in contract talks with the Egypt superstar, but recent developments have caused the club to investigate what they could get in return for him entering the final year of his deal.

The Mirror is reporting Liverpool have decided that £60m is the number they would be comfortable with, but it remains to be seen if there is interest from rival clubs given he could leave Anfield for nothing next year.

Meanwhile, The Sun claims Liverpool are confident they can land Borussia Dortmund's England midfielder Jude Bellingham at the end of next season.

Liverpool have already seen Sadio Mane depart for Bayern Munich.

ROUND-UP

– According to Sky Sports, West Ham are exploring a potential move for Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma, who is said to have a £40m release clause in his contract.

– Sky Sports also claim  West Ham are interested in signing Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse .

– Manchester United are hoping to sell young defender Brandon Williams for £10m, according to the Daily Mail, while The Sun claims the club have made around £100m available for Erik ten Hag to rebuild the team.

– United have declined Barcelona 's request for the Red Devils to include Harry Maguire in their bid for Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, according to The Sun.

– The Athletic say  Crystal Palace are confident they will land 22-year-old Lens midfielder Cheick Doucoure .

Mohamed Salah has paid tribute to Sadio Mane after the Senegal international swapped Liverpool for Bayern Munich in a €41million (£35.2m) move. 

Mane was unveiled as a Bayern player on Wednesday after signing a three-year contract with the Bundesliga champions, who have moved to strengthen their attack in the face of Robert Lewandowski's attempts to join Barcelona. 

The Senegal international scored 90 Premier League goals for Liverpool in a highly successful six-year spell at the club, with Salah (118) the only Reds player to outscore him during that time. 

Having also impressed for Southampton before making his move to Anfield, Mane hit at least 10 goals in all eight of his Premier League seasons – the most campaigns a player has played in the competition while reaching double figures each time. 

After Jurgen Klopp branded Mane one of Liverpool's greatest ever players in the aftermath of his departure, strike partner Salah moved to thank him for his contribution to a successful era. 

"It's been quite a ride!" Salah wrote on Twitter, alongside several images of the duo celebrating.  

"Thank you for all the good times and I wish you all the best in your new adventure! You will be missed by all of us." 

During his first press conference as a Bayern player, Mane said the decision to join Julian Nagelsmann's side was an easy one and he was already targeting competing for multiple trophies next season. 

"When Bayern showed interest, I was intrigued and didn't have to think twice. I had other offers too, but I chose FC Bayern. They're the right club for me," he said. 

"At Liverpool we fought for every title. It's the same at Bayern. When you play at Bayern you have to have the mentality to want to fight for every title. 

"My whole life is a challenge – and I love challenges. We have the right team together, everyone [here] is made to win titles. We will try everything to win all titles. 

"When you've spoken to the club and the coach, I can see how strong we are. I've followed the Bundesliga and the Champions League and there's no doubt that they're one of the best teams in the world." 

Mane represents the first major addition made by Bayern in the transfer window, but chief executive Oliver Kahn hinted he will not be the last. 

"The transfer window is still open for a very long time," he said. "We're watching everything that happens. We weren't satisfied with the second half of the season.  

"We know exactly where we need competition, where we need to set stimulus points in order to be successful." 

Asked about the potential impact of Mane, Kahn said the dynamic forward can raise the level of the Bayern squad as they bid to win a first Champions League title since 2019-20. 

"We want to try to win the Champions League every year," he added. "But you don't win it by saying it, you have to put it into action on the pitch, but also those responsible have to create the conditions. 

"He's a player who can lead the others. His presence can raise the level within a team. That's the quality that players like him have. So it's important to have top stars like him in our ranks." 

Sadio Mane says he achieved everything he could at Liverpool and is excited to embark on a new challenge after signing for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Mane has left Liverpool after a hugely successful six-year spell at the club, for whom he scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League games, a tally bettered only by Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy (104), Mane's Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Tottenham's Harry Kane (134) in that time.

The Senegal international's six major trophy wins at Anfield included the Champions League in 2018-19 and Liverpool's first-ever Premier League title the following year, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup.

Mane had made his intention to join Bayern clear after scoring 23 goals in all competitions as Jurgen Klopp's side won both domestic cups in the 2021-22 season, and his €41million move to Germany was confirmed by the Bavarian giants on Wednesday. 

In a farewell interview with the Reds' official media channels, Mane declared himself "Liverpool's number one fan" and said his move to Germany was motivated purely by a desire to prove himself elsewhere.

"Obviously it is strange – really, really strange – to no longer be a Liverpool player after six years," he said. "But of course, I had a great time, an unbelievable time.

"Since my first day I really, really enjoyed training, playing at Anfield especially, and in front of these amazing supporters.

"I think whoever is leaving Liverpool, with those supporters you will always miss them because [they are] the best in the world and I have always said it. Playing at Anfield I think always gives you so much power because of the fans. 

"I still have my house in Liverpool and everything so for sure I will come back, of course, and I would love one day to come back to Anfield to say hi to them and of course to watch Liverpool playing. I am going to be Liverpool's number one fan – after the supporters!"

Asked if he felt he had achieved everything he could with the Reds, Mane added: "Yeah, for sure. Like I said, from the first day I came to the club, I spoke to the boss when I was in Southampton and I think at that time we were not even in the Champions League. 

"He called me and I said, 'For sure.' I just decided in my heart that I am coming to Liverpool because that is where I see myself, and for me it was the right time and the right club to achieve everything. 

"I can say of course we won a lot and I spent a great, great time there. Like I always say, my life is always [about a] challenge and when it came, I said to the club that I want to leave, I want to go somewhere else to see a new challenge. 

"It is not anything else, it is just a challenge because for me I want to always be challenging myself to get better and better.

"There was a lot of speculation but I'm not a confused boy in my head. I know what I want and I know what is professional so for me, I was not even thinking about it [during the season] because I was still a Liverpool player and we had really, really important games.

"I will say that when I was a kid that was my dream, to win everything possible: trophies and individual trophies as well, that was my dream. That is the reason I never stopped working, I am a very hard worker. Of course, for me it was the right time and the right club."

Mane formed part of a fearsome front three alongside Salah and Roberto Firmino at Anfield, which has been refreshed with Liverpool's signings of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez this year.

And 30-year-old Mane thinks the Reds' goalscoring burden remains in good hands despite his exit.

"Bobby and Mo – what players!" he added. "I think there are no other secrets because playing alongside these great players, they make everything easier for me. 

"I think I am just supporting this and especially Bobby, who always dropped and made space for me and Mo, I think it was just incredible. 

"These two players, Liverpool still have great players and you have now Diogo [Jota] and Diaz also – wow, what a player they have! But it's normal, it's the best club in the world, so I wish them all the best."

Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future could hinge on Barcelona's attempts to sign Robert Lewandowski, according to former Reds star John Barnes, with the forward linked with a move to Camp Nou next year.

Salah scored 31 goals and added 15 assists across all competitions for Liverpool last season as Jurgen Klopp's team won the EFL and FA Cups but fell just short of the Premier League and Champions League titles.

But the Egypt star's future has been debated for some time, with his contract due to expire in 2023 and no agreement on fresh terms appearing imminent. 

Salah has most recently been linked with a free transfer to Barcelona at the end of his current deal, though the Catalan giants, who have financial difficulties, are also attempting to attract wantaway Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski.

The Poland star is one of just four players in the big five European leagues to register more goal involvements (56) than Salah (46) in all competitions last term (also Kylian Mbappe with 60, Karim Benzema with 59 and Christopher Nkunku with 51).

Lewandowski hit 50 goals and recorded six assists for Bayern last season, and Barnes believes Barca's attempts to acquire him will have repercussions for Salah. 

"Of course you're looking at the money that Barcelona can spend - I can see him at Liverpool for another year, and then maybe going on a free transfer at the end of the season," Barnes told Stats Perform.

"I don't know what the situation is, but at the moment he's at Liverpool. So I don't know. If he stays, he'll still play with the right attitude and commitment. 

"Where can you see him? Who knows in football - have Barcelona got the finances to actually do that? Because of course, there's still talk about Lewandowski going there. 

"I think that at the end of the year, we'll see. I think it really has a lot to do with where Lewandowski goes."  

Liverpool's attack has already undergone a significant shake-up after the club added Benfica striker Darwin Nunez to their ranks and sold Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich this month, having already been boosted by Luis Diaz joining from Porto in January. 

The future of the final member of Klopp's former first-choice front three, Roberto Firmino, is also in doubt with the Brazilian's contract due to expire at the same time as Salah's.

But Barnes believes tying the number nine to fresh terms is not a priority for Liverpool, insisting Firmino is under-rated but noting he has dropped down the pecking order recently.

"Well, it's not necessarily a priority," he said of Firmino's contract situation. "This is football. Bobby's a fantastic player.

"In fact, of the front three, he's been my favourite player of the period because of what he brings to the team, in terms of his hold-up play, his build-up play, his work-rate for the team.

"The reason why Salah and Mane scored those goals is because of Firmino, if we had Lewandowski in the team, Salah and Mane would not have scored that many goals because of course, they would have been creating for him.

"He's very undervalued. I don't necessarily think is a priority because now we've got Nunez, we've got [Diogo] Jota, Salah is still there, you have Diaz, so at his particular age he may not be a priority but I'd love to see him stay. 

"He has to decide whether he's quite happy to come and be a part of the squad rather than playing regularly. But I would love to see him stay, definitely."

Mohamed Salah has achieved "nothing" with Egypt and the Liverpool star must raise his level when featuring for the national team, according to former Pharaohs coach Hassan Shehata.

In response, Egypt's former sports and youth minister Khaled Abdel Aziz defended the forward, calling him a wonderful ambassador and unifying figure for the country.

Salah scored 31 goals and provided 15 assists across all competitions for Liverpool as they won the EFL and FA Cups last season, also finishing as runners-up in the Premier League and Champions League.

But the forward experienced a more frustrating campaign on the international front, as Egypt lost the Africa Cup of Nations final on penalties to Senegal in February and suffered the same fate in March's crucial World Cup qualification play-off – with Salah missing from the spot in the latter contest.

Those disappointing results have led Shehata, who coached Egypt from 2004 to 2011 and won consecutive Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2006, 2008, and 2010, to call for improvements from Salah.

"We all know that Salah is one of the stars of the world and not just one of the stars of Egypt," he told Sada al-Balad. "The awards he took and the goals he scored give him the right to be the top star.

"But technically, and I'm sorry to say this, Salah has done nothing with the national team. He should have done much better than he has. He must provide more when he plays for his country."

However, Shehata did admit Salah was playing with inferior players when joining up with the national team, and said it was up to coaches to get the best from the 30-year-old after Egypt put in a series of dull displays at this year's Cup of Nations.

"It's true [that there is a difference in quality compared to Liverpool]," Shehata said. "He should have said this to the officials here - although he is not the one who chooses the players - but he should've said that the players here are not like the players in England."

Shehata's criticisms have not gone unnoticed in Egypt, with the country's former sports minister Aziz defending Salah's role on and off the pitch.

"Mohamed Salah was one of the most important soft forces that returned life in Egypt to normal after the [2013] June 30 revolution," he wrote on Twitter, alongside an image of himself with the Liverpool star.

"He was a wonderful global ambassador for his country in a difficult political period and led the national team to the World Cup after 28 years [in 2018].

"And despite the suspension of the league [after deaths occurred amid stadium violence in 2015] and then the league of the two groups, he led the team to the final of Africa [Cup of Nations] 2017 after three consecutive times we did not qualify at all."

Egypt are seeking their third head coach of the calendar year after sacking Ehab Galal after only three games at the helm last week, just two months on from Carlos Queiroz quitting the role.

Milan's Serie A triumph played out amid a tumultuous boardroom backdrop.

And the Rossoneri's notoriously thrifty project could now test Paolo Maldini's patience, with the need to bolster their squad for domestic and continental competitions not yet being met.

The Italian champions reportedly losing out on long-desired targets could potentially bring the subject of Maldini's future to the fore again.

TOP STORY – MILAN TO LOSE OUT ON SANCHES, BOTMAN

Milan look set to miss out on the signings of Lille pair Renato Sanches and Sven Botman, according to Calciomercato.

Although the Rossoneri had agreed personal terms with Sanches several months ago, Paris Saint-Germain are set to double Milan's offer to Lille of €15million.

They face a similar dynamic with defender Botman, who also agreed personal terms with Milan, as fellow long-term suitors Newcastle United attempt to swoop.

With Maldini and right-hand-man Ricky Massara's contracts to expire at the end of the month, these failings will likely create inconvenient tension.

ROUND-UP

– Chelsea are interested in signing Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling, according to Fabrizio Romano.

– Meanwhile, The Sun is reporting the Blues are set to sign Ousmane Dembele, but the winger will demand a starting spot instead of a squad role.

– Manchester United are hoping Barcelona reduce their asking price for Frenkie de Jong, per The Athletic.

– Liverpool are bracing for the eventual departure of Mohamed Salah as contract renewal talks stall, the Mirror reports.

Egypt's team doctor has stated Mohamed Salah was still suffering with an injury when he played for Liverpool in the Champions League final.

Liverpool talisman Salah suffered an adductor injury in the FA Cup final win over Chelsea on May 14, and was unavailable for the Reds' next Premier League fixture.

The forward came off the bench to score in a 3-1 win over Wolves on the final day before playing the full match against Real Madrid in Paris on May 28, though he was unable to inspire Liverpool to a seventh European crown as Vinicius Junior's second-half goal gave Los Blancos a 1-0 victory.

Salah then captained Egypt in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea on June 5.

After that match, Egypt coach Ehab Galal claimed Liverpool had asked Salah to have an X-ray prior to featuring for his country, but he refused.

Egypt's team doctor Mohamed Abou El Ela said Salah, who turned 30 on Wednesday, had stated Galal had to prioritise the Guinea match for the skipper to feature in due to the injury he was carrying.

"Salah's injury occurred during the FA Cup final in the adductor muscles, then he played against Wolves and in the Champions League final, and all of this in just 14 days," he told On Time Sports.

"We send and receive players with medical reports, and Liverpool's said that he had pain and should get an X-ray, there's not a 100 per cent fit player, but there's the question of whether he can push himself and play without risk.

"The club thought that one game is enough and we chose the Guinea game because the second against Ethiopia would be hard for him to travel in a long flight. He couldn't play another game after three days."

Across all competitions, Salah played 4,013 minutes for Liverpool in the 2021-22 season – the fourth-highest total in Jurgen Klopp's squad, behind Alisson (4,890), Virgil van Dijk (4,620) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (4,233).

Of his 51 appearances, 45 were starts, with Salah scoring 31 goals and providing 15 assists as Liverpool won the FA Cup and EFL Cup and finished second in the Premier League along with their run to the Champions League final.

There has been a lot of talk about the money Liverpool are investing in Darwin Nunez.

The Uruguay striker arrives at Anfield for a fee that will likely end up surpassing their previous club record of £75million spent on Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in January 2018.

Benfica confirmed on Monday they had agreed to sell Nunez to Liverpool for an initial fee of £64m (€75m), with a further £21.4m (€25m) in add-ons. Liverpool provided their own confirmation on Tuesday.

The Merseyside club will likely be saying goodbye to a key player at the same time, though, with Sadio Mane being strongly linked with a move to Bayern Munich.

So can Nunez emulate what the Senegal star has been able to in his time at Liverpool, or can he even surpass it?

Stats Perform has taken a look at the 22-year-old to see what Liverpool might be getting for their cash.

Is Nunez a Mane replacement?

What appears to stand out above all else is that Nunez is being signed primarily to score goals.

He may not have hit the ground running at Benfica after making a €24m move from Almeria in September 2020, netting just six times in 29 Primeira Liga games (19 starts) in 2020-21, but he more than made up for it this season.

Nunez had an expected goals (xG) rating of 9.98 in his first season according to Opta, suggesting he was not scoring as many as he should, which he almost overcompensated for in 2021-22 by recording 26 goals in 28 league games (24 starts) from 18.4 xG.

By comparison, Mane – who is in the conversation for the 2022 Ballon d'Or – scored 16 goals in 34 Premier League appearances (32 starts) an xG figure remarkably similar to Nunez (18.3). So, while the chances that went their way were of a comparable value over the course of the season, the Uruguayan proved far more clinical.

The relative difference in quality between the top flights in England and Portugal must be taken into account, of course, but in the Champions League the duo also matched up well.

Nunez scored six goals from 10 appearances (six starts) from an xG of just 3.1, while Mane registered five goals from 13 games (11 starts) from an xG of 4.5. Once again, the 22-year-old proved a more dependable finisher of chances than the Senegal star.

Whether Nunez can translate this to English football remains to be seen, but there are other interesting parallels between the two players which indicate they are perhaps not as different as some appear to think.

In their respective leagues last season, Nunez and Mane also offered a similar degree of creativity. The former registered four assists from an expected assists (xA) total of 4.8, while Mane had two from 4.4 xA to his name, suggesting he was let down by poor finishing from his team-mates on occasion.

Both players have proven themselves to be comfortable running with the ball as well, attempting 86 dribbles each over the 2021-22 season, though Mane's success rate of 54.7 per cent was significantly better than Nunez's 45.4.

Of course, the chief difference between the pair is the fact former Southampton attacker Mane has mostly played off the left for Liverpool, whereas Nunez is primarily a centre forward.

That should not be an issue though, given the Reds addressed that side of the pitch only a few months ago by shopping in a familiar market.

Primeira Liga? Completed it, amigo

To the surprise of many, not least Liverpool, they had their hand forced at the end of the January transfer window and signed Luis Diaz from Porto, so it is a league they clearly know well.

Not that they hadn't already intended to buy Diaz, but reports suggested the plan was to do so at the end of the season, only for an unexpected advance from Tottenham to make them bring the transaction forward.

It proved a welcome necessity as Diaz hit the ground running and played a big part in Liverpool almost doing the unthinkable and winning an unprecedented quadruple.

However, with the Colombian taking the role on the left of the attack, Mane was asked to play in an unfamiliar central position for the remainder of the campaign, though broadly to impressive effect.

Nunez will be a slightly more natural fit in that central role, and like Diaz will be hoping the transition from the Primeira Liga to the Premier League is a relatively seamless one.

He already showed in his two performances against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals this term that he can cut it against English opposition.

In the first leg in Lisbon, Jurgen Klopp's men ran out 3-1 winners, but Nunez scored the Benfica goal and played well enough that Virgil van Dijk recently listed him as one of his toughest ever opponents in an interview with Rio Ferdinand.

He arguably impressed more in the return leg at Anfield, when Van Dijk did not play. Nunez often pulled out to the left and stretched Liverpool's defence, and had it not been for their effective offside trap, could have had a hat-trick.

Nunez put the ball in the Liverpool net three times, but two were ruled out by the assistant referee as Benfica drew 3-3, losing 6-4 on aggregate.

He showed his force of personality in the final 10 minutes though as he also brought a tremendous save out of Alisson, and almost dragged his team back into a contest they had previously been well out of.

Can Liverpool adapt to Nunez?

Two of Liverpool's goals that night were scored by Roberto Firmino, who was excellent under the Anfield floodlights, but who has seen his previously key role in Liverpool's attack diminish in recent years.

It was appreciated that the way the Brazil international played in more of a 'false nine' role allowed Mane and Mohamed Salah to thrive, until the arrival of Diogo Jota in 2020, which signalled a slight move away from that as the former Wolves man increasingly played a role closer to that of a traditional striker in Klopp's system.

It oversimplifies Nunez to suggest he is an out and out number nine in the mould of an Erling Haaland. He drops deep and pulls wide similarly to smaller attackers, like the ones already at Liverpool in fact.

However, at 6ft 2in tall, he could also provide a weapon that will have the eyes of Liverpool full backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson lighting up, particularly the former.

No other defender in Europe's top five leagues created anything like Alexander-Arnold's 129 chances this season, with Robertson second on 90, ahead of Fiorentina's Cristiano Biraghi (89).

He also created the most 'big chances' this season (defined by Opta as a chance from which a goal would be expected) with 27, while only Hoffenheim's David Raum (226) and RB Leipzig's Angelino (211) provided more open play crosses than his 191.

On paper, Nunez has everything needed to succeed in the Premier League. Pace, power, skill, shooting accuracy and lovely hair.

The Darwin evolution puns are already wearing thin, for which we take partial responsibility, but it will be best for the player if he ignores all comparisons.

Nunez can simply be his own man.

Mohamed Salah wants to emulate George Weah as only the second-ever African to win the Ballon d'Or, and was "shocked" by his seventh-place finish last year.

The Egypt international posted sixth and fifth-place finishes in 2018 and 2019 in the annual awards ceremony to crown the best men's footballer in the world.

But he saw his standing slip two years later after a 2020 cancellation, placing outside the top six as Lionel Messi extended his record haul.

Since then, Salah has helped fire Liverpool to a domestic cup double, plus a second-place Premier League finish and another Champions League final during 2022 as he recorded 46 goal involvements in 2021-22 (31 goals, 15 assists).

In addition, he has already picked up a slew of individual prizes, including another Premier League Golden Boot, the FWA Footballer of the Year and - most recently - the PFA Player of the Year.

But it may not be enough for the forward to emulate Liberia star Weah, who is the only African to previously lift the Ballon d'Or.

"I want to win it to join George Weah, the only African [in 1995]," Salah told L'Equipe.

"It's true that I was shocked by my ranking in 2021 (seventh). For this year, the defeat against Real Madrid is a disadvantage, even if I played a good game in the final.

"But it doesn't cancel out everything I've achieved for months. Let's wait for the vote. And if I'm not Ballon d'Or in 2022, I'll do everything I can to be the next one."

Salah's disappointment at losing in the Champions League final to Madrid last month has not dimmed his appreciation for fellow attacker and Ballon d'Or frontrunner Karim Benzema.

Salah admits he sees himself in the France forward, and feels a kinship in his approach to how he imposes himself upon the wider team.

"I understand what Benzema says. He doesn't just see himself as a goalscorer, he knows he influences every aspect of Real Madrid's game," he added.

"Like others, I want to be seen as the best player in the world.

"At Liverpool, everyone runs for everyone else. If I don't fight for the defence, they won't fight for me.

"I have to be an example, to be the first to press, to sacrifice myself for the team."

Jurgen Klopp says Mohamed Salah's PFA Players' Player of the Year award was well-deserved after another fantastic season from the forward.

Liverpool fell just short in the Premier League title race with Manchester City, missing out by a point, but Salah edged out Kevin De Bruyne for another individual accolade on Thursday.

The Egypt international scored 23 top-flight goals to share the Premier League Golden Boot with Son Heung-min, while also claiming the Playmaker of the Season award for most assists.

Salah added the Premier League Goal of the Season trophy to his haul, alongside the FWA, PFA Fans' Player of the Year and PFA Players' Player of the Year awards.

No player in the Premier League could match the Liverpool talisman's 36 goal involvements (23 goals, 13 assists), and manager Klopp believes his star attacker deserved the accolade.

"What I really love about this prize is that it's voted for by the players," Klopp told Liverpool's website. "That's the one prize that you should be interested in.

"Whatever the supporters say, your own supporters always say, 'Oh you're the greatest' and all the others say, 'How can he win it?'

"So, in Mo's case obviously it's the numbers, scoring goals. But scoring the most goals and having the most assists, with all the ups and downs during a season, all the things I know about football, that's a deserved winner."

Salah has been a standout performer since arriving from Roma in 2017, scoring 156 times in 254 Liverpool appearances.

Klopp says it is Salah's character that has led to his improvements and dominance in the English top flight.

"I was incredibly excited about the chance to work together with him. We spoke, yes, that was a very good talk but obviously we all need longer to know about a person," he said of his initial impressions.

"The moment I knew it will be outstanding [was] when I knew him as a person, because he's full of desire, he never will stop developing and he's a workhorse.

"I know we say it a lot but he's really the first in – maybe around Millie [James Milner], maybe Millie beats him from time to time – and he's the last out. So treatment, gym work, all these kinds of things. 

"On the pitch, if you tell Mo because of the intensity of the games, 'Mo, you go in now. Thank you very much'. 'I'm good, I'm good, get me another 10 balls.'

"So he deserves it absolutely, and that's why he's the second-time winner of this wonderful trophy. Well deserved, Mo, by the way!"