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Liverpool may be thirteen points adrift of top spot in the Premier League, but the Merseyside club can take pride in the fact that they made the signing of the season in bringing in Mohamed Salah from Roma this summer.
Following his brace in the 3-0 win over Southampton at the weekend, the Egyptian international is the top goalscorer in the Premier League, with 9 goals scored and 2 assists. Deployed more traditionally as a winger, the 25-year-old is being dubbed one of the finest forwards in the league and is likely to be on the radar of multiple clubs come January.
On Sky Sports Monday Night Football, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher outlined how Salah's fine goalscoring form will likely take the pressure of Roberto Firmino up-top, whilst he also claimed that Liverpool have "really got a top goalscorer now".
Salah would be an improvement to practically any side, but which clubs, in particular, should be looking to prize the Egyptian away from Anfield?
#5 Tottenham Hotspur
With the prolific Harry Kane spearheading an attack comprising of talent such as Christian Eriksen and Heung-Min Son, Tottenham have developed the reputation of having arguably the best starting eleven in the Premier League, although Manchester City fans may say otherwise.
Mauricio Pochettino has set-up a side which can play fast-paced, exciting football, meanwhile keeping sharp at the back, yet there has been something missing for several seasons now. The moment that Tottenham have lost key individuals for a game, they have folded.
In the absence of Harry Kane, previously, Spurs have had to rely on Vincent Janssen, whose woeful return of two goals in 27 appearances meant he was loaned out to Fenerbache this season.
Fernando Llorente was snapped up from Swansea City this summer, as a potentially reliable backup striker, but even the ordinarily clinical and experienced Spaniard is yet to have found the net in eight appearances for the North-London club.
If Tottenham are serious about being title contenders, more attention needs to be paid to squad depth and although his services would likely demand a hefty fee, Salah would be the man to take Tottenham to the next level.
His previous time in London was miserable, but the Egyptian now seems well-adapted to the Premier League's physicality and intensity and would be a good fit for a side like Spurs.
#4 AC Milan
Given their scattergun summer spending, in which more than £175 million was invested in new talent, AC Milan would certainly have the financial capabilities to lure Salah to the San Siro. The club's numerous big transfers have not translated to immediate success and the side may be looking to recruit once again this January.
Salah, himself, is more than familiar with the Italian top flight, having risen to prominence whilst at Roma, where he netted 29 goals during his tenure. Consequently, it would be a comfortable and somewhat assured move for both parties, if Salah were to return to the country where he reinvented himself.
AC Milan's legacy as European giants could also be a pull factor for the Egyptian international.
Milan already have the likes of André Silva and Nikola Kalinic in their attacking armoury but both are primarily central, target-man type forwards and are not blessed with pace, creativity or dribbling abilities, all of which Salah has in abundance.
Furthermore, the club may have added world-class talent to their ranks in Leonardo Bonucci but they still require a player who can lead from the front and Mohamed Salah would fit the bill perfectly.
#3 Paris Saint-Germain
The club from the French capital have been far from goal-shy this season, currently leading Ligue 1 with a goal difference of +43 and a goals tally of 45, rendering them the most potent club in Europe's top leagues.
Therefore, to link PSG to another forward, especially following the arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mbappé this term, maybe somewhat bizarre at first sight. That said, in order for any club to become the best, strength in depth is crucial and beyond the first eleven, PSG don't match up with the other heavyweights across the continent.
PSG currently have a tendency to operate in a 4-3-3 system, with Mbappé, Cavani and Neymar forming the front three and the likes of Verratti and Rabiot covering the defensive midfield roles to give the forwards more licence to roam.
Salah would undoubtedly flourish in this system; he is already performing exceptionally in a Liverpool team which is lacking defensively and doesn't allow him such freedom going forwards.
Naturally, PSG have an excellent array of attacking talent already, but rumours have developed over the past months linking the likes of Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore with moves away from the club.
Although the French outfit must be cautious about further agitating rules of financial fair play, the addition of Mo Salah would be a real statement of intent from the club.
#2 Real Madrid
Of the clubs interested, Real Madrid are probably the side best-equipped to generally tempt Salah to part with Liverpool after what would be just five months with the Merseyside outfit.
It's no secret that Real Madrid are struggling in La Liga this term, with Los Blancos now trailing leaders Barcelona by ten points, a tally they have never previously overturned in their history to win the league.
Goalscoring has been a key issue in the club's struggles this term, with Real Madrid having scored 22 goals in their opening 12 league fixtures, ten fewer than Valencia and eleven fewer than Barcelona. To put the misfiring into perspective, midfielder Isco is the club's leading scorer with just four goals this term.
Cristiano Ronaldo, especially, has been disappointing, holding the unwanted record of the worst shot conversion rate in Europe's top leagues (1.82%), and Salah may even be viewed as a potential long-term replacement for CR7.
Real Madrid like to operate with width and pace, but have almost been forced to play more centralised 4-3-1-2 and 4-1-2-1-2 formations as a result of lacking out-and-out wide men. Salah would reinvigorate Real's attack and has the top level experience to render him an ideal transfer target.
#1 FC Barcelona
Not long ago, we were fortunate enough to be witness to one of the deadliest attacking trios the footballing world has ever seen - Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, or MSN for short.
The Blaugranas' former front three devastated La Liga defences for years and when Neymar departed for PSG in the summer, it was confirmed that the three managed 250 goals in 299 games during their time together.
He was arguably the least acknowledged of the three, but when Neymar switched Barcelona colours for a new career in Paris, it left a big gaping hole in the Catalan club's attacking contingent.
Following an interminable pursuit of Liverpool forward Philippe Coutinho, the club eventually brought in Borussia Dortmund's young French starlet Ousmane Dembélé for a club record fee of €105 million.
Dembélé has since featured just twice for the Blaugrana, following a hamstring injury picked up against Getafe, which ruled him out for multiple months. Even if the injury had not occurred, Dembélé can still be viewed very much as a future prospect more than anything else, so Barcelona may still be on the hunt for a top forward in January.
Salah has cultivated experiences of two contrasting leagues in Serie A and the Premier League and thus has the ability to adapt to the tactically tight Spanish top flight. The 25-year-old seems to be at his best when other top forwards (Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho etc.) are performing around him, so, perhaps, MSS could be on the cards?
