Published Sep 8, 2026, 6:40 AM GMT+1

Salah's Liverpool career came crashing down in somewhat unsavoury circumstances, but it's clear that he was no longer the same world-class player as once before, and 34 years old, now plays for Trabzonspor in Turkey.

He might have been expected to play out the 2026/27 campaign at Anfield, and not quit a year ahead of schedule, but FSG have still failed to replace the Egyptian King with a specialist right midfielder this summer.

The club are braced for a similarly poignant departure next summer. Virgil van Dijk will bow out at the end of his contract. However, the decision-makers may be more secure in Liverpool's hopes of welcoming a successor - having already signed a few who are in line to take that baton.

How Liverpool have already replaced Van Dijk

In January, Liverpool agreed a deal with Rennes in Ligue 1 for the transfer of Jeremy Jacquet, who finalised his move this summer. The 21-year-old Frenchman is effectively a like-for-like Ibrahima Konate replacement after his countryman joined Real Madrid.

Jacquet has not made a flawless start to life in the Premier League, but there's no disputing his world-class potential. He has the technical and physical properties to develop into one of the best, but he needs to be smoother, less prone to an error.

But Jacquet is not Van Dijk, and we mustn't forget about Italy prospect Giovanni Leoni, who signed for Liverpool from Parma for £27m last summer, arriving with a weight of expectation.

For Leoni to have suffered a long-term knee injury on his Liverpool debut was cruel to say the least, but the teenage centre-back has the trappings of an elite defender, composed in an age-belying way.

He will return soon, sure to fight for the chance to prove himself as Van Dijk's successor right away, but Liverpool have actually signed another young defender who might be the most stylistically similar to the Netherlands superstar.

Liverpool have already signed the new Van Dijk

Van Dijk is still the best in the business. Against Ipswich Town on Friday evening, the 35-year-old was immense. But he will leave at the end of the season, and the Anfield side need to ensure they have enough defensive depth to cover such a damaging loss.

Well, Iraola will hope that Leoni and Jacquet kindle a fluent working relationship over the course of the campaign, but the Reds may have another rising star in Ifeanyi Ndukwe who has the potential to become a mainstay under the Anfield lights.

Liverpool signed Ndukwe from Austria Vienna back in January, though he completed his move in August, signing for a fee just shy of £3m but forcibly loaned straight out after failing to acquire a work permit. The 18-year-old has signed for La Liga club Levante on a season-long loan.

Iraola is known to have a penchant for developing exciting prospects such as this one, and he will be itching to welcome the rangy teenager back to his fold after he left such a strong impression during pre-season in the United States, at ease alongside Van Dijk, showcasing such promise on the ball.

Ndukwe hasn't yet made his debut for Levante, benched for the first three games of the campaign, but he only needs to make one competitive appearance in Spain to become eligible for a recall in January. It's something to consider, already 6 foot 5 and endowed with the athleticism and physicality you'd need to thrive as a centre-half in the Premier League.

Analyst Raj Chohan has even asserted that Ndukwe is an "elite talent" who has "Virgil van Dijk vibes" in central defence, prodigiously calm and collected on the ball and when dealing with pressure.

It's undeniably frustrating that Ndukwe made such a strong impression during the off-season, now cast away from Liverpool for the current campaign.

But FSG are always happy to play the long game, and the Austrian centre-half has shown already that he has a Van Dijk-esque style and that he could be the proverbial successor the Kop have been searching for.