The 5 best long-term Mohamed Salah replacements for Liverpool

4. Takefusa Kubo, Real Sociedad

Since spreading his wings in San-Sebastián, Takefusa Kubo has been one of the darlings of LaLiga. Kubo joined Real Madrid in the summer 2019 transfer window as a free transfer, and while Madrid had high hopes after an encouraging loan spell with Mallorca, his career seemed to be derailed by two loans in the 2020/21 season to Villarreal and Getafe. Kubo was asked to do too much defending by those managers, who didn't really see the value in accommodating Kubo's skill set.

After a decent return to Mallorca in 2021-22, Real Madrid sold Kubo to Real Sociedad with the possibility of buying him back. With a more inventive attacking side in La Real, Kubo has flourished. And to prove his 2022-23 season was no fluke, Kubo is already sitting on five goals in 2023-24. If anything, he looks like an even more complete attacking threat.

Still only 22 years of age, the Japanese international could move back to Madrid relatively easily, but Los Blancos may be too crowded after bringing in Jude Bellingham, Arda Güler, and Brahim Díaz in the last summer transfer window.

Kubo is ready to move to an elite club. He is more of a playmaker than a winger, but he has the dynamism to be an option on the right wing if Liverpool have a left winger, such as Luis Díaz, holding width.