Liverpool are preparing to say goodbye to Mohamed Salah at the end of the season, and then, it really will feel like the end of an era at Anfield.
Many mocked the 'Chelsea reject' when he returned to the Premier League. Salah has had the last laugh, though, one of the division's deadliest-ever forwards.
Though the Egyptian, 33, has fallen from his towering standards this season, replacing him will still be a difficult task, but it's one that the Reds need to get right after such a tough season.
Season (* PL Title) Apps Goals + Assists
25/26 24 7 + 6
24/25* 38 29 + 18
23/24 32 18 + 10
22/23 38 19 + 12
21/22 35 23 + 13
20/21 37 22 + 5
19/20* 34 19 + 10
18/19 38 22 + 8
17/18 36 32 + 11
There's been a lot of talk about who might come in to replace Salah, but while chatter around Yan Diomande is bound to intensify, FSG also need to strengthen lower down the field.
Liverpool favourites to sign Premier League star
Whether Slot remains in charge at Liverpool next season is one question, but the Anfield side need to approach the summer transfer window with a clear focus.
Salah's departure and Hugo Ekitike's long-term injury complicate plans, with the midfield in need of surgery and the backline so porous this season. Ibrahima Konate is expected to renew his vows on Merseyside, but another centre-back wouldn't go amiss.
Well, according to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven would pick Liverpool over Manchester United in a potential transfer battle this summer.
The Athletic recently confirmed that Van de Ven is on United's shortlist, and while Spurs are struggling, he is one of the most talented defenders in the league. Liverpool should act on their interest in the 25-year-old.
Micky van de Ven for Tottenham
If Tottenham go down, Van de Ven is very unlikely to stay in north London. And while ENIC Group may hope to cash in a £100m cheque following the Dutchman's potential transfer to Liverpool, their bargaining power will have been weakened and then some.
Liverpool have beaten the Red Devils to top targets before, just look at Cody Gakpo, and Sadio Mane before him.
Why Van de Ven could be Liverpool's new Mane
Though captain Virgil van Dijk is staying put this summer, he will turn 35 in July and is expected to depart when his contract expires in just over a year.
His Oranje teammate could end up replacing him in Slot's squad, having starred for a struggling Spurs side and still been hailed as a "monster" by football reporter Elliot Jackson for his athleticism and physicality at the back.
Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven celebrates scoring their third goal
Despite Tottenham's woes, Van de Ven has been comparatively strong alongside the erratic Cristian Romero, winning 60% of his ground battles this season and only losing possession 6.3 times per game on average.
He's certainly a unique defender, and in that, he shares something with Mane, whose direct attacking play and fleet-footedness on the ball was marvelled at by the Premier League. So incisive, the Jurgen Klopp favourite was knife-sharp.
We could have lived in a very different world, had he joined Louis van Gaal's team over a decade ago. Luckily, the left winger said in an interview that he was "not convinced" by the direction that the Premier League giants were headed in.
There is concern on Merseyside that the pendulum is swinging back toward Old Trafford. United are third in the Premier League, resurgent under Michael Carrick.
If Liverpool have a vested interest in Van de Ven, they will not want to lose this race, and securing his signature would not only prove a statement of intent, but emphasise the club's staying power even when at their lowest ebb in a while.
Van de Ven and Mane might not share many properties as footballers (aside from both being blessed with blistering pace and power), but the Spurs star could emulate the Senegalese legend in making the move to Anfield and spearheading an illustrious era at the club.
Of course, it's always nice to get one over the Manchester side too.
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