HOW Liverpool and Richard Hughes set superstar up to FAIL

Liverpool and Richard Hughes are setting a superstar signing up to fail. They must do better - and there's an easy way out.

Liverpool and Mo Salah are having a stand-off. The Egyptian's contract expires at the end of the season but he's publicly announced that the club are yet to offer him a new one.

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It's a move - or lack of one - that shines an incredible spotlight on Liverpool and sporting director Richard Hughes. Here is their star player, arguably the best in the world right now, and they're looking increasingly likely to let him go for free.

So what exactly is the plan? Salah is even offering them an out: he'll reportedly accept a one-year contract offer, negating any concerns over his long-term ability.

There's no excuse as far as we see it, and yet Liverpool haven't got him tied down. And that's something that simply sets a star up to fail.

Liverpool set star up to fail

If Liverpool let Salah walk, there's one immediate problem: they'd need to replace him. That means finding a right-sided forward who can combine with this team in a way that doesn't cost them any goals or assists.

Now, that player wouldn't necessarily need to provide all of the goals and assists himself - but he'd need to help unlock something in the team that can replace what Salah provides. That's not easy.

In fact, we'd argue the two closest players to Salah in world football are Bukayo Saka and Lamine Yamal. Liverpool are getting neither.

And so whoever does replace Salah would almost certainly be a gamble. They could and should be a superstar signing but there's no one who could possibly arrive that would get close to the Egyptian's quality. Not immediately, anyway.

This player would also arrive with unbelievable pressure on him. After all, he'd be the face of Liverpool's failure to re-sign Salah.

It feels like an impossible situation and one where any arrival is set up to fail. Fans can think back to attempts to replace Luis Suarez 10 years ago. Or prior to that, Michael Owen.

Both times, Liverpool completely failed to find anyone who could come close and the players they chose didn't last long. The Reds are walking into the same situation again - and it's setting up whoever they choose to fail miserably.

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