Clear frontrunner emerges in battle for Liverpool's next striker

In a season where Mohamed Salah has stolen the headlines, the other attackers at the club have struggled, making this summer an incredibly important one for the future of Slot's team.

Anfield Watch understands that Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz are all potentially on the chopping block, and if contract negotiations turn sour, then Salah will need to be replaced as well.

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As such, the Reds might need to sign two or three players this summer, with striker being the position that needs filling most imminently.

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Loads of players have been linked to the club, and last night Liverpool had the chance to see two of their targets compete against each other, and in the end it was clear there was only one winner.

Ekitike outshines Delap on international duty

England's under-21s came up against France's under-21s last night in a clash littered with incredible young talents, making for a remarkable spectacle.

Across the 90 minutes, where 40 shots were taken and eight big chances were created, two of Liverpool's shortlisted transfer targets got on the scoresheet - Liam Delap scored England's third, while Hugo Ekitike scored a hat-trick.

Both players have been considered potential alternatives to Alexander Isak at Newcastle because of the Swede's reported £150m price tag.

Throughout the season, both Delap and Ekitike have been imperious in front of goal, the Frenchman notching 19 goals and eight assists for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, and the Englishman notching 10 goals and two assists for Ipswich in the Premier League.

Of course, context must be added, with Delap having to work with limited chances because Ipswich are likely going to be relegated when the season comes to a close, while Ekitike has been shining in the Europa League alongside playing in the domestic league.

But the pair are young players, with bags of talent and potential which makes them enticing prospects when compared to Isak who is 25-years-old on the brink of entering his prime.

In the case of Delap, the potential signing would still be costly, given his importance to Ipswich, but Liverpool have a track record of developing young players and Slot could be tempted to make a move, although Jayden Danns' future would be put in doubt if Delap was signed.

Meanwhile for Ekitike, it is clear that he is a ready-made star who is already delivering impressive numbers, so perhaps he would be more likely to hit the ground running for the Reds across all competitions, whereas Delap doesn't have that European experience yet.

If Liverpool had an endless pot of money, it is clear that Isak would be the pick of the bunch.

But if more financial responsibility is required then Ekitike would be a sure-bet for mine, although the prospect of signing Delap becomes more enticing if the player decides against a return to the Championship.

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How the club decides to proceed, on the other hand, is going to be fascinating over the next few months.