£50m La Liga star is Liverpool’s preferred Mohamed Salah replacement | OneFootball

Liverpool may be forced to sign a new right winger if Mohamed Salah leaves the club at the end of the season, and they already have a replacement in mind should that possibility turn into reality.

Salah is one of the three Liverpool heavyweights – the other two being Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk – that are out of contract in June. And while there is confidence that he will end up signing a new deal before his existing one runs out, preparations are being made for his possible departure.

In recent months, numerous names have been linked with Liverpool, but the strongest interest that the Premier League leaders have in one of those is Takefusa Kubo.

Liverpool target Takefusa Kubo could be available this summer

Takefusa Kubo to Liverpool? (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

According to TEAMtalk, Kubo is Liverpool’s priority signing for the right wing position, and should a move be made in the summer, there is a chance that he can be signed for less than his €60m (£50m) release clause.

Kubo’s Real Sociedad have had a dismal season, and after being knocked out of the Copa del Rey on Tuesday at the hands of Real Madrid after a classic semi-final second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, their hopes of European qualification are on the verge of being extinguished.

They are significantly off the pace in La Liga, and should they finish the season outside of the European places, the chances of significant sales would increase – and Kubo would be one of the players most likely to be cashed in on.

Tottenham and Bayern Munich are also said to be interested in Kubo, although the prospect of being Mohamed Salah’s successor at Liverpool would surely be tempting for the Japanese international. For now, there is unlikely to be little movement until more is known about whether or not the Egyptian will be staying at Anfield.