Diogo Jota is Liverpool's next star regardless of Mohamed Salah contract outcome

Liverpool may be sweating over the future of Mohamed Salah, who is still yet to sign a new deal at the club, but they already have their next star in Diogo Jota for the future.

Jota was signed for £40million from Wolves last summer and there were some question marks surrounding the move, but the 24-year-old has silenced any critics with his sublime form since arriving at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp constructed one of the finest front three's across all of Europe, with Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino regularly turning defences inside out.

But Jota has eased into life at Liverpool, and the best is still yet to come, as he may well show against his former side on Saturday.

How many goals will Diogo Jota score this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Jota has been interchanged with Firmino since arriving at Anfield and given Klopp a blessing in depth amongst the front three since arriving in the summer of 2020, but injury to the Brazilian has seen the 24-year-old rise to the next level.

The Portuguese star first made a name for himself in 2017 when he joined Wolves on a season long loan, but the club instantly knew they had a talent and they agreed to make the move permanent just six months later.

Jota scored 17 goals as Wolves won the Championship and returned to the Premier League, and the Portuguese star continued to turn heads as he helped the club to successive seventh place finishes in the top-flight.

The forward bagged 16 goals across two Premier League seasons at Molineux, but Klopp made up his mind on Jota when he saw how prolific he was in Europe.

Despite playing in the second tier of English football just two seasons prior, Jota scored six goals in the Europa League as Wolves went on a brilliant run during the 2019/20 season, losing narrowly to eventual winners Sevilla in the quarter-final.

Klopp had seen enough, and Liverpool splashed £40m on Jota that summer, but his sizeable fee already looks to be a steal as spearheads one of the most frightening attacks in Europe.

Jota's already has eight Premier League goals for Liverpool this season, and the forward is just one away from equalling his best ever tally just 14 games in, but after settling in Klopp's front three, he offers a lot more than just goals.

The 24-year-old's versatility gives him an incredible edge over many other forward's, and despite being a rather average height, Jota is abnormally prolific in the air.

Jota's also quick, direct, and makes things happen in the final third, and with Salah and Mane ready to pounce it creates a recipe for disaster for any unfortunate opponent.

Liverpool do have an issue to sort out though, as the future of Salah is heavily speculated across the red half of Merseyside, and Jota's impact is only marred due to the brilliance of the Egyptian winger.

Although Salah was rather shockingly awarded seventh in the Ballon d'Or this year - it's hard to argue that the Egyptian isn't the best player in the world right now on current form - Liverpool are at risk of losing him.

Salah has entered the final 18 months of his deal at Anfield and has expressed his desire to remain at the club, but there is an anxious wait as Liverpool appear reluctant to meet the wage demands of the Egyptian.

Liverpool have always been run with a tight wage structure, and they run the risk of causing upset after they completed new deals with Jordan Henderson, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Andy Robertson, Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold over the summer.

Their problem doesn't end their though, as it's all of Liverpool's iconic front three that are yet to re-sign, with Mane and Firmino also out of contract in 18 months.

Firmino was the first of the trio to turn 30 this year, but Salah and Mane are close behind at 29, meaning that Liverpool will naturally have to replace them at a similar time anyway in the future, and Jota was brought in to be the first star in a new front line.

The original trio have one more big contract left in their career, and Liverpool will have to cough up to ensure that their final deal is at Anfield, but it could be the difference between another league title.

Regardless of their future though, Jota is tied down until at least 2025 and the Portuguese star has shown that he will take over from Salah at some point in a new era at the club.

Jota has already proved he is capable of being the flag bearer at Liverpool, and with the star yet to even reach his prime, we haven't even seen the best of the forward just yet.

Liverpool's future front-three is unknown but the dominance of Salah, Mane and Firmino has to end at some point, but Jota will already be prepped and ready to be the big name in a new look attack when he reaches his prime.